The UK Competition and Markets Authority fined StubHub £889,200 on June 23, 2026.
The UK watchdog CMA has a mandate to ensure market competition and protect consumer rights and economic growth.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an investigation into StubHub as part of wider plans to tackle illegal online pricing practices.
The ticket reseller was fined for failing to display hidden prices on tickets until customers reached the cash register.
The CMA also penalized StubHub, a leading online ticket marketplace, for offering refunds to more than 50,000 affected customers, averaging £10.33 each.
In its investigation, the UK watchdog found that StubHub used illegal practices known as “trickle pricing”.
According to experts, the term is described as a method used by resellers to entice fans into purchasing tickets which, upon payment, cost customers additional fees.
This practice prevents buyers from making an accurate comparison of the prices of different sellers on the market.
The investigation covered the period from April 5 to December 7, 2025, when some customers were charged mandatory fees, including delivery and service fees, at checkout.
The CMA, in its findings, found that these charges were only applicable at the final stage of the payment process instead of being indicated at the point of purchase.
The company in question acted immediately, took steps to stop this practice and cooperated with the CMA during its investigation.
Additionally, StubHub agreed to settle the case out of court, which in such cases allows companies to get a 40% reduction in fines imposed.
