In this guide
Who is Viagogo?Benefits of ViagogoConcerns about ViagogoWhat does 1BoxOffice offer?Five key advantages of buying a ticket on resale from 1BoxOffice include:Is Viagogo Legitimate?If you have searched for last-minute event tickets, either for sports or entertainment, then you would have seen Viagogo. However, not many will opt for Viagogo when buying tickets for resale because of questions about whether the platform is legitimate or safe.
Whilst Viagogo is recognised as a genuine secondary ticket marketplace, the controversy surrounding the platform stems from regulatory scrutiny, exploitative pricing practices, and misleading information.
Therefore, in this article, we aim to clarify whether Viagogo is legit, along with the reasons for and against buying secondary tickets from the marketplace, and then explain why to buy tickets for resale from 1BoxOffice.
Who is Viagogo?
Viagogo describes itself as a platform that connects buyers and sellers, denoting that the marketplace possesses more of a resale or exchange environment rather than a primary box office.
This is vital to understand because this impacts the tickets on resale from Viagogo for three main reasons: tickets could be above the original or face value, potentially delivered close to the event day instead of the same day and, subject to the event organiser’s entry rules, the ticket may be restricted for resale.
Benefits of Viagogo
As highlighted at the beginning of this article, we will be revealing the positives of buying tickets on resale from Viagogo. The main argument for Viagogo is its popularity, accessibility and supply.
Global Reach & Worldwide Status
Viagogo is well-known across the globe for reselling tickets through its secondary marketplace. Therefore, sellers gain more confidence knowing that their ticket is more likely to be bought from Viagogo as opposed to other secondary ticket platforms.
Large and Wide-Ranging Inventory of Tickets
Given Viagogo’s status, a large number of sellers will list their tickets on Viagogo. Additionally, some sellers are listing tickets for high-demand events that are either low in availability or sold out. This is impressive, considering buyers can still buy tickets from primary box offices but opt for Viagogo for certain ticket types.
Viagogo Guarantee Policy
Also advertised through Viagogo’s marketplace is their “Viagogo Guarantee” policy, which aims to protect both buyers and sellers.
For buyers, this policy ensures that purchasers receive valid tickets that are delivered accurately and on time. If an event is cancelled or the ticket is invalid for any reason, Viagogo promises to refund or find a comparable replacement ticket.
For sellers, they are protected by guaranteeing payment for valid tickets sold, based on the impression that there are no problems with the event’s scheduling, and the ticket is valid.
Last-Minute Tickets
As Viagogo is trusted by sellers, they are more likely to list last-minute tickets, knowing that there is a good chance of buyers looking to purchase through Viagogo because of the platform’s popularity.
In fact, Viagogo has two ways of sending last-minute tickets from sellers to buyers: through their Last Minute Services (LMS) or instant download, but sellers must list their tickets at a certain time.
Concerns about Viagogo
This is where the main question of “Is Viagogo legit?” gets answered, which is less about whether the marketplace exists and more about issues regarding pricing clarity, information quality and risks.
Fee Transparency and Drip Pricing
On 18 November 2025, the BBC reported that the UK’s competition regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), launched an investigation into Viagogo’s compliance with consumer protection law. Specifically, whether buyers are aware of the mandatory fees they pay at the start of the process when purchasing a ticket.
This closely relates to the broader issue regulators call “drip pricing”, which is when unavoidable fees appear at a later stage in the purchasing and checkout process. As of 6 April 2025, drip pricing is illegal in the UK under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCCA).
Yet, that hasn’t seemed to stop Viagogo if an investigation was launched six months later. Therefore, it seems that following the recent investigation, extra guidance was updated in December 2025, with the UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) requiring secondary ticket providers to display the full, inclusive price of a ticket and all non-optional fees displayed too.
Unlawful Practices of Speculative Ticket Selling
On 14 April 2025, the Guardian reported that Viagogo were under scrutiny from campaigners who criticised Viagogo for failing to prevent potentially unlawful practices, specifically speculative ticket selling.
In a nutshell, speculative ticket selling is the deceptive practice of sellers listing tickets for events on secondary marketplaces they do not actually own. Then, the seller waits for a buyer to purchase the non-existent ticket and later acquires a real ticket nearer to the time of the event for a lower price.
Campaigners accused Viagogo of not regulating this issue properly after seeing several listings on the marketplace’s website that looked suspicious, despite the company stating it does not allow speculative selling. For example, tickets for a Bastille tour appeared a day before they were issued for release on Viagogo, but sources close to the indie pop band did not believe anyone had a genuine ticket.
Uncertainty & Anxiety of Ticket Prices or Delivery
Even though tickets from Viagogo should be valid under the company’s guarantee policy highlighted above, the past issues we have addressed are the reason why buyers are unsure of the authenticity of Viagogo.
Due to drip pricing, buyers do not feel reassured when purchasing tickets on resale from Viagogo because they are unaware of mandatory fees until the end of the checkout process. But the UK taking action on this issue is a positive; the main question is whether Viagogo can follow the ASA’s guidance.
Due to the unlawful practice of speculative ticket selling, buyers feel extremely worried when buying a ticket from Viagogo because they are unsure whether they will receive a ticket. Whilst this is a general feeling across the board when buying from a secondary ticket marketplace, Viagogo sure haven’t done a good job in reassuring consumers.
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What does 1BoxOffice offer?
1BoxOffice is a secondary ticket marketplace which positions itself around verified sellers, ensuring defined delivery expectations and ticket guarantee. This is a huge benefit for buyers, as fears surrounding invalid tickets or unlawful practices are eradicated, and they won’t have to think twice before purchasing a ticket.
Five key advantages of buying a ticket on resale from 1BoxOffice include:
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150% Ticket Guarantee & money-back protection
Your tickets are covered by the 1BoxOffice guarantee, and if there’s an issue with your order, you’re eligible for a full refund under our policy.
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Price clarity with transparent fees
1BoxOffice clearly shows fees before you purchase, with an emphasis on transparent pricing in line with updated rules and regulations.
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Verified and trusted sellers
We work with sellers who open accounts on our platform and go through verification steps, helping build trust and reliability across listings.
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Clear delivery expectations with multiple delivery methods
Delivery terms and timelines are shown before the event, with options such as e-tickets, mobile transfer, or venue collection (where available).
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Secure checkout, support, and 20+ years established
Enjoy SSL-secured checkout with encrypted data handling, plus customer support to help with ticket questions. With over 20 years of experience, 1BoxOffice is a well-established resale marketplace.
Is Viagogo Legitimate?
Yes, simply put, Viagogo are a legitimate platform for selling tickets; however, there are clear red flags because of recent problems like drip pricing and speculative ticket selling. So, whilst we acknowledge Viagogo’s well-known establishment, their reputation definitely causes fear amongst buyers.
Therefore, we would recommend searching elsewhere for resale tickets to avoid any problems; if you are seeking football tickets, then look no further, as here at 1BoxOffice, we have a wide range of tickets available for various matches across the globe.
