Buying black tickets for RCB matches? new m-ticket system could land you in trouble

Beware of buying black tickets for RCB matches; new m-ticket system may expose you to legal trouble.

Beware if you are planning to buy tickets for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) matches through unofficial channels. The new m-tickets will not only assist the police in cracking down on sellers, but they can also put you at risk.

The State expert committee set up to supervise the overhaul of the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium ensured that 80% of the match tickets were sold in the form of m-tickets, which helps in curbing black-marketing.

The m-ticket system works like this: a person can buy only two tickets at a time, which will be shared with the buyer through online means. This m-ticket becomes valid only when a QR code is generated for it, which happens only five hours before the match. Interestingly, a ticket can be opened only through a passcode.

Given that it is an m-ticket, a fraudster can send the same ticket to multiple people, claiming it to be original. So, if one person enters using the ticket, the code of that particular ticket is erased at the second-layer entry gates, which are turnstile gates.

At this point, if the same QR code is used again, the gates will not open, and security will immediately detain the person trying to enter. Further investigations will be launched to identify the ticket code, which means that the police can determine the time when the QR code was first accessed at the gate. Using AI-backed CCTV cameras, police can track down the first user as well as the person who sold the ticket.

A senior police officer explained that fraudsters are highly likely to sell the same tickets to multiple people and make a bounty, but the trail of digital tickets will ensure that the actual ticket buyer can also be tracked down. “So, if fans are willing to risk getting caught and face legal hurdles, they can try buying black tickets. We introduced this method to shape the behaviour of fans who try to buy tickets at exorbitant prices,” the officer said.