The Victorian government have been proactive in reaffirming its commitment to ending the scourge of ticket scalping, warning of penalties ranging from $1,018 to $610,530 depending on the seriousness of the offence.
Ahead of the AFL Grand Final - an event for which ticketing demand is always ridiculously high - a pair of ministers have spoken, after the game was officially declared a "major event".
That status carries with it the guarantee that consumers cannot be asked to pay more than 10 per cent more than face value for a ticket to the big dance.
"Minister for Major Events Anthony Carbines and Minister for Consumer Affairs Tim Richardson today confirmed the match has been declared a major event under the Major Events Act 2009," the statement read.
"Under anti-scalping laws, tickets to declared major events cannot be advertised for resale or resold for more than 10 per cent above their original price.
"The laws give footy fans a fairer shot at seeing the Grand Final live, while cracking down on those looking to make a quick buck from ticket demand.
"Resale advertisements must include the original ticket price, the intended resale price and seating location details, if available.
"Ticket resellers who breach the Act may face penalties ranging from $1,018 to $610,530, depending on the seriousness and nature of the offence.
"Fans should also be cautious when buying tickets through unofficial sellers.
"Consumers are encouraged to report suspected ticket scalping or scams to Consumer Affairs Victoria on 1300 55 81 81 or through consumer.vic.gov.au."
Ministers Carbines and Richardson were strong in their stances.
“Our message to scalpers is simple – don't rip off footy fans because you will be caught and fined,” Minister Carbines said.
“Grand Final fever creates a perfect opportunity for scammers to target excited footy fans, and we're urging Victorians to stay alert when buying resale tickets,” Minister Richardson added.
With two interstate teams competing for the second time in three seasons, Melbourne is bracing for a significant influx of fans from around the country.
