Competition Authority urges Tix to assess its market position

Iceland’s Competition Authority has urged ticketing company Tix to assess whether it holds a dominant position in the market, mbl.is reported. It also asked the company to review its contracts and ensure they do not contain exclusive purchasing requirements or other practices that could breach competition law.

The authority also called on the country’s largest event venues to take steps to increase and facilitate competition in ticketing services.

The recommendations follow concerns raised about competition in electronic ticket sales. Last year, the authority received a submission from the Icelandic Musicians Association and other reports of possible barriers to competition. During its review, it sought views from Tix and several of the country’s largest event venues.

The venues said that using a single ticketing system can be more efficient and provide consistent service. Harpa said comparable concert halls abroad generally choose one provider through a tender or negotiated procurement process in which several companies compete. This can promote competition without requiring venues to use multiple ticketing systems at the same time.

The authority said it had decided not to investigate Tix’s conduct further at this stage, citing its power to prioritise cases and other urgent work. It said it reserved the right to examine the matter again.