Following a charge made against Sistic by the Competition Commission of Singapore (CCS) late last year, the ticketing powerhouse has been fined a whopping $989,000 for blocking competition.

The CCS ruled that Sistic's practice of requiring venues and even some promoters to sign exclusive contracts with it deprived customers of choice and potential savings in ticket prices. Sistic had exclusive contracts with venues The Esplanade and The Singapore Indoor Stadium, as well as 17 event promoters including such high-profile groups as W!ld Rice, Toy Factory Theatre Ensemble and Singapore Repertory Theatre.

There was much public grumbling, but little recourse, when Sistic doubled its ticketing surcharge to $3 last year. Singapore boasts some of the highest ticketing prices in the region, especially when compared to neighboring cities like Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta. And, in a sign of the times, I-S Magazine now counts more Sistic outlets in Singapore than Indian provision shops.

In a statement, Sistic chief executive officer Kenneth Tan said, “Sistic will work closely with CCS to ensure that healthy competition practice is upheld."

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