The Consumer Council has called on the government to implement real-name registration for tickets to prevent scalping.

Speaking on a TV program on Saturday, the council’s chief executive Gilly Wong said real-name ticketing can deter scalpers and allow people who are truly interested in attending to buy tickets.

“When more mega events are taking place, there will be more ticket scalping. Recently, it was reported in the news that a ticket had been marked-up to an astronomical price of more than HK$100,000,” Wong said.

“We hope the market can be regulated and stabilized. We believe that real-name ticketing is a good way to achieve that,” she added.

The council received over 40,000 complaints last year, a 20 percent increase from 2023.

Wong said over 7,000 complaints were related to Lionel Messi’s no-show at an exhibition match last February, as well as the abrupt closure of the Physical Fitness chain in September.

She urged organisers to provide clearer clauses for future events, and to inform consumers earlier if they are any changes.