Ticket scalpers will no longer be able to get a financial free kick at the expense of AFL fans with all Victorian-based finals subject to strict laws on ticket resales.
Finals fixtures and next year's Anzac Day blockbuster have been declared 'major events', making it illegal for people to resell tickets for more than 10 per cent of face value.
"This will release thousands more tickets to football fans for these finals series," acting Major Events Minister Philip Dalidakis told reporters on Friday.
"Fans that would otherwise have been taken advantage of."
Previously, the AFL grand final has been the elite competition's only 'major event', but new legislation passed in May allows for new sports, arts and entertainment events to be added to the list.
Authorised ticket officers will work with police to catch those flouting the laws, with fines of between $806 and $483,500.
Scalpers will have no place to hide with ticket officers monitoring resale websites and person-to-person traders, Mr Dalidakis said.
"Part of the role that the ticket officers will undertake is to look at websites that are advertising at significantly greater amounts than the face value.
"There will be ticket officers in attendance (at games)."
The Labor government intends to work with federal authorities to cast a wider net, stretching nationally and overseas, to uncover and punish offenders.
"There are many Australians that come to Victoria for our major events, too, and this legislation is designed to protect them as much as it is Victorians," Mr Dalidakis said.
Other major events - including the Australian Open tennis and music concerts - could also be in line for reclassification, but organisers must first write to the government to request a declaration.
The Melbourne grand slam was plagued by scalping earlier this year, with some tennis fans holding dodgy tickets bought from online agency Viagogo turned away at the gate.
AFL fixture boss Travis Auld said the initiative would help keep ticket prices affordable as Victorian crowd favourites Richmond and Collingwood eye home finals.
"There'll be people who find their way through it and around it, but I think it's a wonderful deterrent," he said.
The AFL plans to monitor scalping for other high-attendance games such as Anzac Day eve and Dreamtime at the 'G, but believes the league is doing enough to combat the issue.
"We have a number of crowds (that are) 60, 70, 80 thousand - but there's still a substantial number of tickets left," Mr Auld said.
"In this state, I think we're well covered with the legislation as it stands."
Australian Associated Press
