£50,000 Amazon Fire Stick warning in new crackdown on illegal football streaming

Efforts to tackle the illegal streaming of Premier League football and other top sporting events are being stepped up, in a warning to anyone using modified Amazon Fire Sticks and other “dodgy devices”. Authorities are increasingly trying to crack down on illegal sports streaming, which is widespread in the UK.

People who use illegally modified sticks in their homes to watch football and other sports have been told they face thousands of pounds in fines if they are caught. While those who distribute the streaming devices could face fines of more than £50,000 – or even jail time.

A series of raids have been carried out across the country in recent months as part of the crackdown. Experts have now issued a new warning that the authorities would only want to step up their efforts to stop illegal streaming.

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Alex Hemming of Free Bets Ireland said: “The illegal transmission of sports is a significant statutory offense under UK copyright law. Those caught may face not only civil penalties, but also criminal charges. Penalties are severe, with possible unlimited fines and prison sentences of up to 10 years.

“Enforcement of these laws has been supported by the Digital Economy Act 2017, which targets both providers and viewers of illegal streaming services. This legislation provides UK law enforcement with robust tools to aggressively pursue and prosecute those involved in digital piracy.

“Law enforcement across the UK, including the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU), are stepping up efforts to tackle illegal sports streaming. These initiatives often involve working with ISPs and have resulted in high-profile raids and the shutdown of numerous illegal streaming operations. .

“For example, actions against IPTV services distributing unauthorized Premier League broadcasts have led to significant legal outcomes and the dismantling of complex illegal streaming networks. The financial repercussions of illegal streaming are substantial.

“Courts can impose fines which, depending on the extent of the breach, can reach tens of thousands of pounds. For example, people found to be distributing illegal streams faced fines of over £50,000. , can still be punished with fines often exceeding several thousand pounds, reflecting the severity with which the UK treats copyright infringement.”