HB2782 creates the Prohibition on Automated Online Ticket Purchasing Act, a new Illinois law aimed at preventing the use of bots to buy event tickets. The bill defines a “bot” as automated software that performs repetitive tasks and is designed to impersonate or replicate human activity online, while excluding ordinary browser autofill and password-management tools. It prohibits using or creating such software to buy tickets above posted limits, to evade purchase limits by using multiple IP addresses or accounts, or to bypass queues, waiting periods, presale codes, or other sales-limitation systems.
The bill also imposes reporting duties on owners or operators of entertainment venues, and on agents who conduct or facilitate ticket sales, when they have actual knowledge of a violation. Those parties must report known incidents to the Attorney General within a reasonable time, and no later than 30 days after discovery. The Attorney General is authorized to investigate alleged violations, seek injunctive relief, and pursue civil penalties against violators.
Impact
If enacted, HB2782 would add a new consumer-protection and ticketing enforcement framework to Illinois law, directly regulating automated ticket-purchasing practices in the online marketplace. It would affect ticket buyers, bot operators, ticket resellers, venues, and ticketing agents by making bot-based circumvention of ticket limits unlawful and by requiring certain industry participants to report known violations. The bill would also expand the Attorney General’s enforcement role by authorizing investigations, injunctions, and civil penalties.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears to be framed positively as an anti-scalping and fairness measure intended to protect ordinary consumers from automated ticket-buying systems. The caption and structure suggest support for limiting unfair access to high-demand events, and there is no recorded committee debate or vote history in the provided materials indicating opposition or amendment activity. Overall, the available record reflects a straightforward, consumer-oriented policy proposal with no documented public controversy in the supplied context.
Contention
The main potential points of contention are likely to involve enforcement scope and compliance burdens. Ticketing platforms, venues, and agents may be concerned about the obligation to identify and report violations, especially where actual knowledge is required but detection may be difficult. Another possible issue is the breadth of the bot definition and whether legitimate automation tools could be inadvertently implicated, though the bill expressly excludes browser autofill and password-management features. No specific opposing viewpoints are included in the provided transcripts or votes.