Taichung probing alleged ticket scalping for F1 racing event

Taipei, Aug. 18 (CNA) City officials in Taichung said Sunday they are investigating suspected ticket scalping for an upcoming F1 racing event, in which ticket price was inflated by up to 14 times.

The municipal Sports Bureau said it was maintaining close contact with organizers of the 2024 Red Bull Showrun Taichung on Sept. 28, encouraging members of the public to report scalpers for a reward.

"Only through the public's voluntary refusal to engage in scalping or buy scalped tickets can we effectively eliminate scalpers and create a truly pro-ticket buyer environment," the bureau said.

According to the Sports Industry Development Act, a tipster is eligible for a reward of 20 percent of the imposed fine issued to scalpers, with a maximum limit of NT$100,000 (US$3,112).

The case emerged after Taichung City Councilor Lin Chi-feng (林祈烽) flagged suspect scalping for the event earlier in the day, after 30,000 tickets were snapped up injust three minutes when full sales opened on Aug. 15.

According to Lin, the ticket originally priced at NT$500 has been inflated online to between NT$3,000 and NT$7,000.

Under Taiwan's law, individuals caught reselling tickets for sporting events above their face value or a predefined resale price may incur fines ranging from 10 to 50 times the original ticket price.

Furthermore, those found guilty of ticket scalping through the use of "scalper bots" or other types of software to rapidly purchase tickets online may be subject to a jail sentence of up to three years or a fine of up to NT$3 million.

To report scalping, go to https://report.500.gov.tw/report500index.html