Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster, will pay nearly $10 million to D.C. to resolve allegations of deceptive business practices, and nearly $9 million of that payout could end up directly in the pockets of District residents.
An investigation into the business found that from 2015 until May 2025, it misled customers about ticket prices, charged deceptive fees and used illegal pressure tactics to get fans to buy tickets, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb’s office announced Monday.
Since the start of the investigation, Live Nation has changed its practices to provide customers with information about the total ticket cost up-front and share information about fees, Schwalb’s office said in a news release.
“With this settlement, we’re putting millions of dollars back into the pockets of DC fans and ensuring that the price fans see when they first start shopping for tickets is the price they actually pay,” Schwalb said.
With the $9.9 million it receives in the settlement, D.C. will refund up to $8.9 million back to Live Nation and Ticketmaster customers. Schwalb’s office will announce details of a claims process in the coming months.
In addition to the payout, the settlement requires Live Nation to continue to display the full price of a ticket, including fees, and to share more information about fees and how they’re shared.
A full copy of the settlement is available online.
The settlement comes on the heels of another ruling against Live Nation last week. The District, Virginia and Maryland had joined a coalition of states that successfully argued the company had formed an anticompetitive monopoly over concert venues.
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