Football streaming has become big business in recent years, with fans increasingly using this medium to watch live games rather than traditional broadcasts.
While there are many legitimate places where fans can access live football streams, there are also an increasing number of illegal streaming services on the market.
This article explores football streaming regulations and risks, legal implications, and possible penalties for illegal streaming. It also explains how people can stay on the right side of the law.
The Risks of Accessing Illegal Live Streams
A 2022 survey conducted by Dynata revealed that half of respondents who illegally stream in the UK say they or someone they know have been the victim of scams, ID theft, fraud or data loss as a result.
While illegal streams are designed to look similar to legitimate sites, they expose users to risks such as viruses and malware, fraud, ID theft, data loss, scams, and inappropriate content.
Adware, spyware, ransomware, and Trojans are among the malware elements which can attack your digital device and potentially expose you to financial losses.
Why is There a Demand for Illegal Streaming Services?
Many people believe the UK’s blackout of 3.00 pm fixtures on Saturday is a primary factor in the growing demand for illegal streaming services.
While fans located in overseas jurisdictions can legally access those matches, supporters in the UK are denied the same opportunity.
Football authorities argue the blackout is designed to encourage fans to attend games in person, but many critics believe this stance is flawed.
A significant proportion of people who access illegal streams also subscribe to legitimate services such as Sky Sports, TNT Sports, and Amazon Prime.
However, with those companies repeatedly increasing their prices, some subscribers are cutting the cord in favour of illegal platforms.
Streaming Pirated Content is Illegal
The spiralling cost of pay-per-view television subscriptions has forced many people into searching for alternative sources for their live football content.
However, while free or low-cost football streams are a tempting proposition, heading down this particular route is fraught with danger.
One of the biggest issues linked to accessing pirated streams is it opens the door for fraudsters and criminals to potentially harvest your personal data.
Anyone who is prepared to take that risk, even after understanding football streaming regulations, should also remember that accessing live streaming content without the permission of the copyright owner is committing a crime.
There is a common misconception that only the sellers or distributors of such content are breaking the law, but nothing could be further from the truth.
Another major problem relating to the people who provide pirated broadcast content is they are often linked to large criminal organisations and activity.
The money they make from selling and distributing pirated content is often used to find other crimes, thus increasing the risk of other people being harmed.
Law enforcement agencies have ramped up their efforts to identify and prosecute the people responsible for establishing pirate content networks.
Illegal streams have been disabled, offenders sent to prison and people who have accessed the content have been threatened with legal action.
The Penalties for Illegal Streaming
Prosecutions have largely focused on the sellers and distributors of pirated content up to this point, although several police forces have also started to target users.
One of the most recent high-profile cases resulted in five members of an illegal streaming gang being jailed for a total of more than 30 years for offering cheap access to Premier League games.
The operation made more than £7 million from at least 50,000 customers and resellers, making it the largest illegal streaming networks ever to be cracked in the UK.
Ring leader Mark Gould was sentenced to 11 years in prison at Chesterfield Crown Court after being found guilty of conspiracy to defraud, money laundering and contempt of court.
The streaming platforms – Optimal, Shared VPS and Flawless – offered access to live Premier League games, on-demand movies and a range of global television channels.
Staying on the Right Side of the Law
Law enforcement agencies have repeatedly stressed that consumers are committing an offence by watching live streams they know to be illegal.
While ‘cease and desist’ letters have been issued in some regions, many experts believe it is impractical for widespread prosecutions to follow.
Sellers and distributors will continue to be targeted, as this is the most cost-effective way to clamp down on illegal streaming content.
People who want to ensure they stay on the right side of the law should subscribe exclusively to services that own the rights to broadcast the content.
Sky Sports, TNT Sports, and Amazon Prime have largely cornered thew market in the UK and remain the primary platforms for legitimate live football content.
Sharing costs with family or friends is a good way to legally reduce your annual subscriptions and ensures you do not fall foul of football streaming regulations in the UK.
