Riyadh:The Ministry of Sport in Saudi Arabia has introduced new regulations governing the sale and resale of tickets for sports competitions and events. These measures are designed to protect consumer rights, curb unauthorized practices, and enhance compliance and oversight within the sector.

According to Saudi Press Agency, the ministry plans to launch a ticketing platform accreditation service on November 15 through its Riyadhi Platform. Existing ticketing platforms will have a 90-day period from the issuance of these regulations to meet the approved technical and regulatory requirements.

The regulations stipulate that only event organizers and ministry-accredited platforms are authorized to sell and resell tickets. These platforms must ensure secure transactions, protect consumer data, manage high demand, and provide clear procedures for handling complaints, cancellations, and refunds. Additionally, they are required to maintain transparency in ticket pricing, fees, and refund policies, while prohibiting hidden fees, misleading pricing, unauthorized ticket trading, and the use of automated software or multiple accounts to bypass purchase limits.

Further provisions include linking tickets to the identities of buyers, setting limits on individual purchases, observing venue capacities, and adhering to cybersecurity and data protection standards. The regulations aim to enhance governance in the sports sector, safeguard consumer rights, and improve the spectator experience.