Taipei: The Legislature has passed significant amendments to the Social Order Maintenance Act, resulting in increased penalties for offenses related to ticket scalping, noise disturbances, and stalking.

According to Focus Taiwan, the amendments include a substantial increase in the maximum fine for the unauthorized resale of transportation or entertainment tickets for non-personal use, which will rise from NT$18,000 (US$601.66) to NT$30,000 (US$1,002.36). The Legislature emphasized that while the Social Order Maintenance Act typically addresses minor offenses with administrative penalties, scalping can result in “significant illegal profits and seriously harm consumers’ interests.”

The resolution accompanying the amendments highlighted that ticket scalping for cultural and sports events is already covered under the Cultural and Creative Industries Act and the Sports Industry Development Act, which include criminal penalties. For other types of tickets, such as medical and hospitality vouchers, the resolution called on relevant authorities to consider amending laws on ticket scalping within two months.

The changes aim to effectively curb ticket scalping by tackling the root causes and enforcing stricter penalties. Additionally, the amendments raise the maximum fine for noise disturbances from NT$6,000 to NT$10,000 and increase penalties for stalking someone without valid reasons, even after a warning, from NT$3,000 to NT$30,000.