By Graeme Murray

Touts could be fined up to £5000 for reselling Euro 2020 tickets under new legislation being considered by Holyrood.

The bill would make it a crime to sell tickets for profit either in person, privately, or by using secondary resale sites.

Glasgow is one of 12 host cities for Euro 2020, with an estimated 200,000 visitors expected to arrive during the tournament.

Four Euro 2020 matches will be held at Hampden Park between June 15 and 30, which are expected to boost to the Scottish economy.

Europe minister Ben Macpherson hopes the UEFA European Championship (Scotland) Bill will combat attempts to profit by ticket touts.

He said: "As well as bringing thousands of people into the city and increasing trade for shops, restaurants and hotels, these tournaments help showcase Scotland as an outward-looking, welcoming nation.

"The Scottish Government is determined to support fair access to tickets so that as many fans as possible can enjoy the matches, which is why we're making touting a criminal offence.

"This will help ensure that Euro 2020 tickets are not sold at vastly inflated prices."

Hosting the 2014 Commonwealth Games is estimated to have brought £740m to the Scottish economy, while the 2007 UEFA Cup Final at Hampden totalled more than £16.3 m.

Councillor David McDonald, depute leader of Glasgow City Council and chairman of Glasgow Life, said: "We achieved our title as one of the top five sporting cities in the world by consistently punching above our weight in the sporting world - and that has included prioritising spectators to our events, ensuring fans and visitors to the city have an enjoyable experience.

"The UEFA European Championship (Scotland) Bill will allow us to make sure as many people as possible can get to the four EURO 2020 matches at Hampden, and without overpaying touts attempting to gain from reselling tickets."