Understanding California Business and Professions Code Section 22505.2
California Business and Professions Code Section 22505.2 aims to protect fans from being tricked by secondary market brokers who try to impersonate official box offices. Instead of letting third-party sellers masquerade as the primary source, this law establishes strict boundaries on how resale platforms can design their websites and market their inventory.
Sources & References
The information on this page was was sourced from:
Division 8, Chapter 21, California Business and Professions Code (BPC): The primary statutory framework regulating ticket sellers and live event consumer protections within the state.
Assembly Bill 1349 (2025-2026 Regular Session): Legislative updates enacted to modernize the Business and Professions Code regarding ticket resale marketplaces, refund mandates for canceled or postponed events, and the prohibition of ticket scalping software.
Banning Lookalike Websites and Stolen Logos:
Under this law, a person is strictly forbidden from operating a website that displays any trademarked or copyrighted URL, designation, image, title, or symbol without direct written consent from the actual copyright or trademark holder. Furthermore, brokers cannot build platforms using sneaky combinations of text, web designs, or internet addresses that make their site look substantially similar to the official page of an original seller, venue operator, or event presenter without explicit written permission from those parties.
The Fake "Sold Out" Tactic:
The legislation also targets high-pressure, deceptive sales tactics used to drive up demand. A ticket reseller is legally prohibited from using the phrase "sold out" or representing that a live entertainment event has no more capacity if the original seller still has inventory available for purchase on their own official website. This ensures consumers aren't panicked into paying inflated secondary market prices when face-value tickets are still sitting at the box office.
Penalties for False Advertising:
If a seller attempts to trick buyers by violating these web design and marketing rules, the consequences extend beyond standard ticketing fines. The state dictates that a violation of this specific section also legally constitutes false advertising under Section 17500 of the code.