How to stop wristband sharing at events

How sharing happens

Wristband sharing usually takes one of three forms. A guest slips the band off and hands it to a friend outside. A guest gets in, then passes the band back over the fence. Or one ticket is used to make two bands, by copying a printed code or claiming a band was lost.

No single measure stops all three. The band's closure deals with the first, and rules in your access or ticketing platform deal with the other two. The measures below work best together.

Six measures that stop sharing

1. 1

   Fit a closure that cannot be undone

   Choose a band with a one-way slider or a tamper-evident adhesive closure, so it cannot be taken off and passed on without being cut or torn. The table below lists which of our bands have one.

2. 2

   Fit it snugly at the gate

   A one-way slider tightens but cannot be loosened, so fit it close enough that it cannot be slipped over the hand. A loose band defeats even the best closure.

3. 3

   Activate each chip once

   Access platforms link each chip's unique ID to one ticket. Set activation so that once a band is linked, the same ticket cannot be linked to a second band and the same band cannot be linked to a second ticket.

4. 4

   Set passback rules

   Passback (or anti-passback) rules stop a band entering an area twice without leaving it in between. If a band is handed back over the fence, the reader rejects it at the second entry. Your platform sets how strict the rule is and how re-entry works.

5. 5

   Cancel lost bands

   When a guest reports a lost band, cancel its chip ID in your platform before issuing a new one. A found or sold-on band then stops working at every reader.

6. 6

   Use photo or named credentials for staff

   Staff, crew and artist passes carry the most access, so they are the most valuable to share. A pass printed with the holder's photo or name makes a borrowed pass obvious to anyone who looks.

Bands with one-way or tamper-evident closures

These are the wristbands in our range whose closure is designed so the band cannot be removed and reused by someone else.

Polyester and eco bands also come in adjustable versions made for reuse. Those are useful for staff and season passes, but for one-ticket-one-guest entry, ask for the one-way slider.

Silicone and elastic bands slip on or fasten with a clasp, so they are not designed to stop a band changing hands. They suit staff, members and reusable passes, where the chip ID and your platform's rules do the work.

Make shared bands easy to spot

Gate staff catch more sharing when the right band is obvious at a glance.

• Color-code by day or zone. Tyvek and single-use bands can be color-coded by day or zone, and fabric bands are printed in full color, so a Saturday band at a Sunday gate stands out.
• Number every band. Woven and cloth bands can carry numbering, a barcode or a QR code on the tag, which helps when matching a band to a ticket or a lost-band report.
• Print names on staff passes. RFID event badges are printed with each holder's name, role and number, color-coded by area, and can carry a hologram, UV ink or numbered serials to stop copies. Staff photo ID cards add the person's photo.

Printed codes alone are easy to copy, because a barcode or QR code can be photographed. The chip is what makes each band unique, which is why the activation and passback steps above matter. See our guide on which RFID chip to use for event access control.

Planning your bands

Sharing controls work best when they are planned with the band order. Tell us your platform, ticket types and zones, and we match the chip and closure to them. For festival-wide planning, see RFID festival wristbands and cashless festival wristbands; for multi-day conferences, see conferences and trade shows. To compare materials, see which event wristband to use.