Relating to regulating sales of admission tickets to entertainment events.
HB 3510 updates Oregon’s ticket-resale law to target so-called “bot” activity and other software used to bypass ticketing controls for entertainment events. The bill makes it unlawful to knowingly or intentionally use or sell software designed to circumvent, thwart, interfere with, or evade security measures or access controls that ticket sellers, operators, or resellers use to enforce equitable ticket distribution, limit purchase quantities, or apply presale and resale rules. It also prohibits selling or offering for sale tickets that were obtained through that prohibited software.
The bill further requires resellers to have actual or constructive possession of a ticket, or a written contract to obtain it, before offering it for resale, and to disclose certain information at the outset of the sale, including approximate delivery timing and whether the tickets are for specific seats or zones. It also requires operators, ticket sellers, and resellers to notify the Attorney General if they detect prohibited software use, and authorizes investigation under existing consumer protection enforcement tools. If a ticket seller fails to obtain possession of a ticket after a sale, the seller must refund the purchaser’s total price within 10 days after the event. The bill applies these changes to ticket sales and offers made on or after its effective date.
HB 3510 amends ORS 646A.115 and expands Oregon’s regulation of admission-ticket sales for entertainment events. It adds definitions for terms such as initial sale, promoter, total price, and retail purchaser, and it strengthens restrictions on ticket resale practices, especially those involving automated purchasing tools and speculative resale. Violations are treated as unlawful practices under Oregon’s Unlawful Trade Practices Act, giving consumers and the state enforcement remedies under ORS 646.608, 646.632, and 646.638. The bill affects ticket sellers, operators, promoters, resellers, and affiliated persons involved in the sale or resale of event tickets in Oregon.
Based on the bill text, the measure appears aimed at consumer protection and fair access to event tickets, with a clear policy preference against ticket bots and deceptive resale practices. There is no committee transcript or recorded vote history provided, so no direct evidence of debate, amendments, or partisan division is available. The overall framing of the bill suggests a generally pro-consumer and anti-scalping sentiment.
The main points of potential contention are likely to be the scope of the anti-bot restrictions, the obligations imposed on resellers, and the enforcement role of the Attorney General. Resellers and secondary-market participants may object to the requirement that they possess tickets before resale and to mandatory disclosures that could limit speculative or inventory-light business models. Ticket sellers and event operators, by contrast, are likely to support the bill’s efforts to prevent circumvention of purchase limits and to preserve equitable access for retail buyers. Another possible issue is the operator restriction on denying entry or imposing penalties on purchasers who bought from unaffiliated sellers, which may raise concerns about venue control and fraud prevention.