#‘Taylor Swift Law’ introduced in Brazil after scalpers overwhelm Eras Tour sales

A Brazilian lawmaker has introduced a bill, nicknamed the Taylor Swift law, to address scalpers that many fans say have made obtaining legal tickets for the singer’s “Eras Tour” nearly impossible.  

Simone Marquetto, a member of the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies representing São Paulo, where Swift is playing three shows, introduced the bill last week that would criminalize ticket scalping with penalties of up to four years in prison and fees up to 100 times the original ticket price. 

“I have an 11-year-old at home, and this is all they’re talking about at school. I received many requests to do something and decided to present this bill,” she told the Brazilian newspaper Estadão.

In a social media post Tuesday, Marquetto said that she had obtained the necessary signatures to expedite her bill and would present it alongside the national secretary for consumer protection. 

Tickets for the Latin American branch of Swift’s tour have generated as much excitement and chaos as her U.S. run. Brazilian fans say online scalpers overwhelmed servers, pushing real fans to the end of the queues, and in-person scalpers turned violent in attempts to buy tickets for resale. On Tuesday, authorities detained at least 10 scalpers attempting to buy tickets at the box office, according to the Brazilian outlet Globo. 

The unprecedented demand for the tickets has gained attention from lawmakers around the world. 

The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing in January to examine Ticketmaster’s monopoly over U.S. ticket sales after the company canceled its planned public sale, disappointing fans. Tickets for Brazil’s tour dates are sold through the entertainment company Tickets For Fun, which is not affiliated with Ticketmaster. 

And in Chile, President Gabriel Boric wrote to Swift asking her to consider adding Chile to her future tour dates, according to Billboard. 

Swift is scheduled to play eight shows in November across Mexico, Brazil and Argentina, including two nights in Rio de Janeiro and three in São Paulo. 

This week, the singer also announced 42 international tour dates in Europe, Asia and Australia, extending the global tour through 2024.