Is this form of ticket scalping illegal?

March 12, 2008 7:44 AM

I'm interested in purchasing tickets to a sold-out sporting event in a state (Missouri) where scalping is illegal.

The law for Missouri says, "Prohibits scalping tickets but allows resellers to impose a service charge (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 578. 395)."

Many of the online sellers (eBay, Craigslist) are selling the tickets as "extras" with some other arbitrary item such as a broken coffee mug or a baseball hat.

e.g. "You're bidding on a baseball hat, and winner also gets two tickets to Game A."

Is this a legal way to skirt the law? Does this count as a "service charge," thus making it legal?

I'd like to buy some tickets, and I don't mind the inflated price, but I'd also not like to do anything illegal in the process.

I know, I know: YANAL, YANML.

posted by nitsuj to law & government (6 comments total)

The site you linked to is out of date. It looks like Missouri just legalized scalping.
posted by phoenixy at 7:58 AM on March 12, 2008

phoenixy: cite please?
posted by nitsuj at 8:01 AM on March 12, 2008

Go to the Missouri legislature website and try to look up the statue referenced in that quote; you'll see a notice that it's been repealed.

Also the AG's website has a notice that scalping will become legal in November 2007.
posted by phoenixy at 8:06 AM on March 12, 2008

Thanks!
posted by nitsuj at 8:16 AM on March 12, 2008

Which sporting event, may I ask? If you don't feel comfortable putting it here, just send me a message.
posted by chara at 11:00 AM on March 12, 2008

Coming back to Bocomo nitsuj?
posted by schyler523 at 1:54 PM on March 12, 2008