StubHub Fined: Hidden Fees
UK Regulator Forces StubHub to Refund Over 50,000 Fans for Hidden Fees
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Ticket resale platform StubHub has been fined £889,200 by the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) for hiding mandatory fees from buyers BBC. More than 51,350 customers will receive automatic refunds averaging £10.33 each — no action required from buyers.
The CMA found that StubHub added fees only at the final stage of checkout between April 6 and December 7, 2025 Reuters. The regulator called the practice illegal, with Emma Cochrane, the CMA's Executive Director of Consumer Protection, saying: "Hitting customers with hidden fees is illegal. It's not fair to draw people in with what looks like a good deal, only for them to find the real price is higher when they get to the checkout."
How StubHub Hid Fees and Got Caught
StubHub used a pricing tactic known as "drip pricing" — showing a low base price upfront, then adding mandatory service and fulfillment fees only at the final checkout screen BBC. This made deals look cheaper than they were. The CMA opened its formal investigation on November 17, 2025, just seven months before issuing the fine — a fast turnaround that signals how the regulator plans to use its new powers.
The case was brought under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCCA). Before this law, the CMA had to go through courts to impose fines. Now it can act as both judge and jury, issuing fines of up to 10% of a company's global revenue directly Reuters. StubHub admitted the breach early, which earned it a 40% discount on the fine.
StubHub Faces Penalties on Both Sides of the Atlantic
This is not StubHub's only recent run-in with regulators. In April 2026, the company paid a $10 million settlement to the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for similar "junk fee" violations Reuters. The FTC's own Fees Rule had taken effect in May 2025, and StubHub was found in breach within days.
The UK fine of £889,200 is separate from the £590,000+ set aside for direct customer refunds BBC. StubHub said it "engaged constructively" with the CMA to resolve the matter. The company will contact all 51,350 affected customers directly and issue refunds to their original payment method.
StubHub Is Not the First — and Won't Be the Last
The CMA has been on a fast-paced enforcement drive. In April 2026, AA/BSM Driving School was hit with the first major DMCCA fine — £4.2 million — for hidden booking fees. In June 2026, Marks Electrical was fined £720,000 for pre-selected add-on charges BBC. StubHub's case is part of the same wave.
The Oasis reunion tour in 2024 sparked widespread anger over Ticketmaster's "dynamic pricing," helping push politicians to act faster on ticket fee rules. Now, other resale platforms like Viagogo remain under scrutiny Reuters. Consumer group Which? welcomed the StubHub fine but said the ticket industry is still "broken" and called for a cap on resale prices.
What Buyers Get Back — and What Changes Next
Refunds will be sent automatically to the original payment method used at purchase BBC. The average payout is £10.33 per transaction. Buyers do not need to file a claim or contact StubHub. The CMA says the company will reach out to all affected customers directly.
The broader impact could reshape the entire secondary ticketing market. The CMA's new standard is simple: the price you see must be the price you pay Reuters. The UK government is also reportedly weighing a law that would cap ticket resales at 10% above face value — a move that would hit StubHub and rivals far harder than any drip-pricing fine.
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