The number of Britons who stream copyrighted material for free has doubled in just three years. A booming demand for live sports has fueled the dramatic rise in illegal streaming, soaring from 1.8 billion to 3.6 billion instances, new research has shown.
At the centre of this spike in illicit streaming is football.
Its real-time appeal makes it the top piracy target, accounting for 73% of illegal sports streams. In the first half of 2025 alone, unauthorised streaming of sports drew 1.6 billion views, a 33% increase compared to the previous year.
Being caught streaming copyrighted material for free without permission from the rights-holder carries a heavy penalty in the UK, with up to 10 years in prison for those who distribute or sell access to unauthorised streams. Occasional viewers should expect cease-and-desist letters, fines, device-blocking, and home visits by policing units and the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT). Police recently stepped-up efforts with new techniques.
With such risks, why are so many people turning to dodgy streams?
A big part of it comes down to what experts call "subscription fatigue." Britons now spend an average of £72 per month on subscriptions, according to online bank Revolut. This includes everything from Spotify and Amazon Prime to Disney+ and sports packages.
Information security leader Taimur Ijlal told GB News: "Piracy today is a very formalised digital crime issue. Most illicit IPTV services and rogue streaming applications are designed to appear legitimate and therefore minimise user scepticism, thus maximising use.
"The higher risk comes when there is a high level of fragmentation in rights for live events, as users are then forced to consider lower cost alternatives that can be easily accessed."
You can now find other music channel options from Vevo, NOW Music and Xite on platforms like Pluto TV, Rakuten TV, and Samsung TV Plus | EVERYONE TV PRESS OFFICE What is piracy?
Piracy is traditionally associated with criminals at sea who attacked ships and stole cargo. Today, the term is more commonly used to describe the illegal downloading or copying of digital content like movies, music, books, or software.
Instead of paying for access, many obtain these materials for free, often violating copyright laws. It can also have serious legal and financial consequences for both creators and offenders.
Sports piracy hit 38% in the UK in 2024, which is the highest figure ever recorded
| SKY TV PRESS OFFICEWhy is piracy increasing?
Senior software developer Panayot Kalinov told GB News: "We're forced into consuming content. Today, you pay multiple subscription fees simply to watch the same type of programming, which can become cost-prohibitive."
Around 3.9 million people in Britain now use unlicensed services like Amazon's modified Fire TV Sticks or unbranded IPTV boxes to get their football fix and other live content. These services often look just like the real thing, making it easy to blur the lines from the content's source.
Younger fans are particularly drawn to these alternatives. Those aged 16-24 make up a significant chunk of illegal streamers.
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What are the dangers of piracy?
Piracy might seem like an easy way to save money, but it comes with real risks. Many illegal streaming sites are loaded with malware, putting your personal data, passwords, and bank details at risk. Some services even charge hidden fees or use your device for scams without you knowing.
You could also face legal consequences, including warnings or fines. Beyond that, piracy often funds organised crime and fraud networks. While it may feel harmless, using these platforms can expose you to security threats, financial loss, and unreliable streams — making “free” content far more costly than it appears.
Many pirate operations don't look like criminal enterprises at all, either – they function like proper businesses, complete with customer service and slick interfaces.
Mr Ijlal warned that many of these operations aren't independent ventures. "Perhaps my greatest concern is that many of these pirate operations do not represent independent endeavours. Many are connected to organised groups who utilise such tools as Telegram, social media, and offshore hosting to distribute their product at scale. Some even provide illegal gambling services along with other forms of fraud."
Criminal lawyer Benson Varghese told GB News, "around 89% of pirate streams also carry advertisements", meaning criminals are making money from ads alongside subscription fees. This pushes piracy firmly into financial crime territory, not just copyright infringement.
Amazon Fire TV sticks have become a popular option with criminals, who "jailbreak" the Fire TV Stick to install apps that aren't sanctioned by Amazon in its own App Store to offer a painless way to watch copyrighted material at a fraction of the cost.
| AMAZON PRESS OFFICEHow piracy is being prevented
To combat this, streaming platforms are developing methods to detect piracy.
Mr Kalinov told GB News, "AI monitoring tools monitor streams in real-time to eliminate over 90% of illegal streams within minutes. Also, the way access is provided is becoming more restrictive, as the content is linked directly to a device and the encryption continues to change. There appears to be greater collaboration between companies, and as a result, companies are able to identify and block domains and shut down illicit activity quicker than ever before."
Retailers like Amazon have also taken preventive measures. The US retailer recently released a new version of its popular Fire TV Stick with an affordable price tag, intuitive voice commands, and access to 4K Ultra HD feeds from the biggest streaming, catch-up, and FAST TV services around. So far, so normal. Unlike its predecessors, this new model makes watching illicit IPTV streams very, very difficult.
This is the first streaming device to run on Amazon's new Vega OS operating system, eliminating the need for Android after more than a decade of using it in its models.
Without Android powering this device, it can't run sideloaded Android apps that have been responsible for fueling illegal IPTV streaming.
The switch has allowed Amazon more control over the operating system, which it says has enabled smoother performance from less powerful chipsets.
"Vega is a new operating system built specifically for our devices. It’s highly responsive with an efficient footprint, enabling fast app launches and smooth navigation. Our new Echo devices also run on Vega," Amazon explains on its developer website.