# California speculative ticketing legislation

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/california-speculative-ticketing-legislation
> Updated: 2026-09-27T23:33:10.000Z. Sources: 9. Developments: 2.

California Assembly Bill 1349, a measure aimed at curbing speculative ticket sales and fraudulent practices, moved through the state Legislature to the Governor’s desk in late August 2026. The bill sought to ban the sale of ‘ghost tickets’—tickets advertised by resellers who do not yet own them—and to implement anti-bot measures to prevent software from manipulating venue purchasing restrictions.

The legislative process involved significant debate regarding the rights of venues and sports teams to manage their own ticket inventory. While the Coalition for Ticket Fairness supported the bill as a consumer victory, several music and venue organizations, including the National Independent Venue Association, campaigned against it following amendments to the text. 

Governor Gavin Newsom signed the bipartisan legislation into law in late September. In his signing statement, the Governor suggested that certain marketplaces might be exempt from the regulation and requested that lawmakers revisit the specific language used in the bill.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-27: California Governor Newsom signs law targeting speculative ‘ghost tickets’

Governor Gavin Newsom signed California's Assembly Bill 1349, banning the sale of speculative ‘ghost tickets’ and prohibiting software used to manipulate venue purchasing restrictions.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/california-governor-newsom-signs-law-targeting-speculative-ghost-tickets

### 2026-08-31: California AB 1349 ticketing bill heads to Governor Newsom

California's AB 1349, a bill targeting speculative ticketing and bots, has passed the Legislature and moved to Governor Newsom despite last-minute opposition from music industry groups.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/california-ab-1349-ticketing-bill-heads-to-governor-newsom

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Cite as: California speculative ticketing legislation. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/california-speculative-ticketing-legislation
