The Government intends to increase the penalty for ‘touting’ – selling Olympic and Paralympic Games tickets in public, or in the course of business, without permission – from GB pound 5,000 to GB pound 20,000.
Tickets for the 2012 Olympic Games go on sale next week. With nearly 11 million tickets ultimately available for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, it’s very different in scale from other major sporting and cultural events which is one of the reasons why it’s attractive to ticket touts.
Theresa May announced the Government’s fines during a visit to the OIympic Park in Stratford.
The Home Secretary explained: “The 2012 Olympics represent a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us to experience the Games on home soil. By increasing the fines for touting, we are sending a clear message to criminals and prospective criminals that it’s not worth their while and they are not welcome.”
May added: “The focus of the Government and everyone involved is to deliver a safe and secure Olympic and Paralympic Games that London, the UK and the world can enjoy. It will not be spoiled by ticket touts.”
Assistant commissioner Chris Allison, the national Olympic security coordinator, said: “We do not want our Games blighted by touts. My officers are working now to make the Olympics as hostile an environment as possible for them. Increasing the penalty will help by sending out a clear warning.”
Allison continued: “Touts are part of organised criminal networks, and often involved in other crimes. We’re fully committed to dismantling those networks layer by layer.”
Ticket touts: their cards are marked
Warning letters have been sent out to those who may try to illegally sell Olympic tickets assuring them that their ‘card is marked’ and that the police service is watching.
LOCOG chairman Sebastian Coe commented: “We want to get London 2012 tickets into the hands of enthusiastic sports fans so that our venues are packed to the rafters at Games-time, and provide a fantastic atmosphere for the athletes.”
“The message is loud and clear that ticket touts are not welcome and will face large fines. We urge everyone hoping to come to the Games to sign up to our website [access the link on the right hand panel of this page] and ensure that they are applying for tickets through the proper channels.”
The Metropolitan Police Service has a dedicated unit – Operation Podium – to deal with touts and Olympic-related fraud.
In the past six months alone, officers have made 49 arrests (including some for fraud offences).
