GHOST Act

S. 5278, the GHOST Act, would make it illegal for ticket resellers to sell, offer for sale, or advertise event tickets they do not already have in their actual possession — that is, tickets they have physically or virtually received from the original issuer. This targets "speculative ticketing," where sellers list tickets before acquiring them, betting they can obtain them later.

The bill affects ticket resellers and secondary-market platforms, not original issuers or ordinary buyers. Violations would be treated as unfair or deceptive practices under the FTC Act, enforceable by the Federal Trade Commission and by state attorneys general (or other authorized state officials) on behalf of residents. Penalties include a civil fine of at least $15,000 per day of violation, plus additional per-ticket penalties (the greater of $1,000 per ticket or five times the ticket's price), with a further $10,000-per-ticket penalty for intentional violations. The FTC would also be required to set up a public complaint website within 180 days and report annually to Congress on enforcement.

The bill was introduced in the Senate on August 6, 2026, by Sen. Ben Ray Luján and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. It would need to be approved by that committee, then the full Senate, the House, and be signed by the President before taking effect — which, per the bill, would be 60 days after enactment.

Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.