The UK government and O2 have launched a national campaign urging ticket buyers to use official websites, as new research puts annual losses from ticket fraud at £150 million ($202 million). The announcement arrives alongside platform updates from Ticketmaster, Tixel and Bandsintown affecting event discovery, resale and demand data.
UK campaign targets £150 million ticket fraud
The campaign, called Stop! Think Fraud, asks the public to always purchase from official ticketing websites. O2’s research found that more than 14% of surveyed gig goers have bought a fake ticket, and 77% of those tickets were purchased through online platforms.
No age group was immune, but the data showed the highest risk among 18 to 24 year olds, with 31% reporting a fake ticket sale, compared with 4% of people aged 55 and over.
Ticketmaster connects to Gemini AI
Ticketmaster is now available as a Connected App in Gemini, allowing live event discovery through natural conversations. Fans can browse eligible events, compare seating options and prices, then continue to the Ticketmaster marketplace to complete a purchase.
Event organizers gain visibility in one of the world’s fastest-growing AI (artificial intelligence) platforms without any additional implementation or setup. Ticketmaster also has integrations with Claude, ChatGPT and Amazon Alexa+.
Tixel names US commercial lead
Juan Torres, formerly of Prism, Dice and Aprimo, has joined Tixel as vice president of commercial operations for the US, leading the fan-to-fan ticket resale marketplace’s North American commercial operation.
Tixel partners with venues, promoters, festivals, and primary ticketing platforms “to eliminate scalping and deliver a secure, fair resale experience for fans and organizers alike.” The company has established market positions in Australia and the UK and is now expanding its presence in the United States.
Dance music ticket demand outpaces other genres
New data from Bandsintown comparing 2025 and 2026 shows dance music ticket demand accelerating faster than nearly every other major genre. Clicks to buy dance music tickets rose 23.7% year over year, ahead of live growth in hip-hop, pop, rock, R&B, Latin and country.
- Total artist follows in dance music grew to 1.51 billion
- The genre added 60.8 million new fan connections in the last year
