S&D calls for a ban on dynamic and personalized ticket prices, subscription traps, and “pay-to-win” mechanisms in games

The Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament are proposing stricter rules for digital platforms, online sales and video games ahead of the future Digital Fairness Act. The group is calling for a ban on dynamic and personalised pricing in transport and at events, the removal of consumer manipulation mechanisms and accountability for influencers. These measures represent a political position, not legislation already adopted at European level.

The Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) in the European Parliament is calling for a ban on dynamic and personalised pricing for transport tickets and at events, the elimination of trap subscriptions and restrictions on harmful monetisation mechanisms in games. The requests were presented on 22 October 2026, ahead of the future Digital Fairness Act. They are proposals from a political group addressed to the European Commission, without creating new obligations for companies at this stage.

In brief

S&D is calling for a ban on dynamic and personalised pricing in transport and at cultural or sporting events, the display of all mandatory costs from the first offer and a block on price increases during the purchase.

The group proposes eliminating trap subscriptions and manipulative interfaces, access to human assistance and restrictions on features that encourage compulsive use of services.

In games, S&D is calling for a ban on harmful “loot boxes” and “pay-to-win” mechanisms, prices expressed in real currencies as well, safety for minors and accessibility for people with disabilities.

The proposals include limiting ticket resale to the initial value, with a margin for actual costs, and clarifying the liability of influencers, agencies and brands for illegal or misleading promotion.

The requests are S&D’s position ahead of the Commission’s legislative initiative, expected in Q4 2026. They do not create new bans or rights and do not replace existing protections; the final content and deadlines will depend on the legislative process.

S&D wants the total price, including all mandatory taxes and fees, to be displayed from the first presentation of the offer, without costs being added gradually. The document calls for a ban on increases after the purchase has begun, at the latest from the moment the product is added to the cart, a minimum period of validity for the displayed price and a maximum ratio of 1:4 to limit price jumps. This ratio is a political request, not a European cap currently applicable.

For transport and live cultural, sporting or entertainment events, the group proposes banning demand-based dynamic pricing and personalised pricing, citing the unique nature of events and the lack of genuine alternatives. Dynamic prices change according to demand, availability or the time of purchase; personalised prices use information about the buyer. Neither mechanism is generally prohibited by EU law, but misleading or aggressive practices may already be sanctioned.

For contracts covered by the Consumer Rights Directive, traders must already provide information about the total price before the contract is concluded and, where applicable, about price personalisation through automated decision-making. The S&D proposals seek stricter requirements concerning when costs are displayed and prices are changed. They should not be understood as creating a first-time obligation for traders to inform consumers correctly.

For ticket resale, S&D is calling for a European limit at the initial face value, with a narrow and proportionate margin for the actual costs of the transaction, applying to both professionals and private individuals. Platforms should verify sellers and ticket authenticity, prevent circumvention of the cap through fees and ensure refunds for fake, duplicate, cancelled or invalid tickets. Resale by traders of tickets bought using bots that circumvent purchase limits is already prohibited; the group additionally calls for prevention obligations for primary-sale platforms.

Another area concerns manipulative interfaces, known as “dark patterns”: complicated cancellation paths, hidden renewals, wording that blames the user or refusal options that are difficult to find. S&D is calling for a comprehensive ban in legislation on unfair commercial practices and access to human assistance for disputes, contractual issues and ending subscriptions. The group thus wants to prevent consumers from being trapped in menus and automated support systems.

The Digital Services Act (DSA) already bans certain platform interfaces that deceive or manipulate users, while legislation on unfair commercial practices can sanction such behaviour in relations with consumers. The scopes of these instruments differ, and the specific prohibition in the DSA does not apply to practices covered by rules on unfair commercial practices or data protection. The forthcoming initiative should clarify and supplement the existing framework.

For subscriptions, termination of an ongoing contract must be distinguished from exercising the legal right of withdrawal. The rules that must be applied from 19 June 2026 already provide for an online withdrawal function for contracts concluded through online interfaces, where this right exists. This protection, available during the legal withdrawal period, is not a general right to end any subscription at any time. S&D is calling for the removal of cancellation obstacles within a broader framework.

The group is also seeking to limit design that encourages compulsive use of services: autoplay, infinite scrolling, persistent notifications and rewards for repeated use. It proposes disabling these features by default, warnings about time spent online and limits in certain situations. S&D wants the absence of personalisation to be the default setting and is calling for restrictions on profiling-based recommendations and systems that exploit vulnerabilities, with protections for adults as well.

In video games, the proposals concern displaying purchase prices in real currencies as well, not only in points or diamonds, and banning harmful practices such as “loot boxes”, purchased random rewards, “pay-to-win” mechanisms and features resembling illegal gambling. The group is calling for safety by design and by default, child-impact assessments for services accessible to minors and better accessibility for people with disabilities. Separately, inspired by the “Stop Destroying Videogames” initiative, it proposes a consumer right to restore the use of software abandoned by publishers.

Influencer advertising would be subject to harmonised transparency and accountability rules. Hidden or misleading commercial promotion may already violate EU legislation; S&D wants to clarify the responsibilities of influencers, agencies, brands and platforms, including personal liability for promoting illegal or fraudulent products, services or content. The requests include protections against the promotion of products and behaviours that create health or financial risks.

The document extends these concerns to advertisements generated with artificial intelligence, fabricated reviews, synthetic influencers and the false presentation of experts as product endorsers. The group is calling for effective consumer remedies and clear obligations for the actors involved. Labelling AI-generated content should not replace liability for misleading commercial messages, and new requirements should be coordinated with the transparency obligations already provided for by the AI Act.

Enforcement of the rules is another important chapter. S&D is calling for companies to demonstrate compliance with the law more clearly, rather than users having to document interfaces and algorithms themselves, and is seeking deterrent penalties and faster procedures. Through the revision of the Consumer Protection Cooperation Regulation, the group wants centralised investigative and enforcement powers for the Commission in cases of widespread violations, alongside information-sharing between authorities responsible for consumers, digital services, personal data and AI.

In the case of contracts concluded through artificial-intelligence agents, S&D is calling for clear, informed and revocable instructions, the possibility of challenging unauthorised transactions and effective remedies. Significant financial commitments and major changes to contracts should require explicit consent before execution and subsequent confirmation. These are proposed safeguards for consumer control over the digital assistant, not a new regime already applicable.

The group cites the Commission’s 2024 assessment of consumer legislation, which estimates the remaining annual financial harm after remedial efforts at approximately 7.9 billion euros. The calculation extrapolates EU-wide information about online purchases, the frequency of problems and their individual cost, using data from 2022 among other sources. It is a prudent estimate of the order of magnitude of the harm, excluding all non-financial costs; it is neither a new measurement for 2026 nor the value of fines or compensation.

Alex Agius Saliba, S&D vice-president, emphasises consumer well-being and fairness and safety by design and by default. Laura Ballarín Cereza, S&D coordinator in the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO), is calling for protection for adults and children and predictable prices, without unexpected increases during the purchase. Their positions are presented in the group’s statement of 22 October.

The Commission is preparing the Digital Fairness Act for the final quarter of 2026. S&D states that the presentation of a consumer package, including this initiative and a revision of consumer protection cooperation, is expected on 11 November. The date is an anticipated timetable communicated by the group, not confirmation that the legislation will be adopted. After the proposal is presented, the European Parliament and the Council will have to negotiate its content, exceptions and implementation deadlines; the S&D document is not a law or a mandate from the entire Parliament.

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