TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Anyone caught reselling a ticket for cultural performances for personal profit will face a three-year prison term as well as a fine of up to 50 times the original price of the ticket, according to legislation approved Friday (May 12).

The issue gained prominence in March after at least one person tried to sell tickets for a concert by K-pop supergroup Blackpink in Kaohsiung City for NT$400,000 (US$13,100) each, or 40 times the retail value. As a result of public anger, the Cabinet proposed amendments to the Development of the Cultural and Creative Industries Act to counter ticket scalping.

The proposals passed in a third reading by the Legislative Yuan included a maximum fine of 50 times the retail value of the ticket for ticket scalpers. People using misleading information and methods including online algorithms to buy large quantities of tickets for resale could face a maximum three-year prison sentence or a fine of NT$3 million, the Liberty Times reported.

Scalpers infringed the right of citizens to enjoy concerts, dance performances, and sports events for a reasonable price, the supporters of the amendments said. Some lawmakers advocated the drawing up of a separate law to counter similar practices in other sectors of society, including the reselling of public transport tickets and of registrations for hospital visits.