Each weekend, a smattering of matches are available to watch, but you'd need to be subscribed to some quite expensive streaming platforms or pay hefty one-off fees to get them.
Many other Premier League games are just not available for Brits to watch in full, given that there are rules in place around the 3pm kick-off to ensure the nation's football fans go out to lower league grounds and aren't shut up at home whenever there's a game on.
As much as you might love Plymouth Argyle or Fleetwood Town, the temptation not to go down to the ground on a Saturday afternoon would be stronger if you could just stick on the telly and watch a Premier League match.
Plenty of Brits will be tuning in to the Premier League this weekend - but not all of them legally (Getty Stock Photo)Illegal streaming is certainly a bee in the Premier League's bonnet as they've successfully prosecuted people for this sort of thing before, and if the league gets its way they'll be able to get more information on the people illegally streaming their games.
Two brothers were recently sentenced to a combined 11 years behind bars after a crackdown on internet protocol television (IPTV) streaming, which is often accessed through jailbroken Fire Sticks.
Sky have been working with police forces across the UK to target people doing this sort of thing as well, so you could land yourself in huge trouble trying to watch the footie.
Now, a new scheme has been put in place as people trying to access an illegal stream of one of the Premier League games this weekend will be 'intercepted'.
Arsenal play against Tottenham Hotspur this Sunday (15 September) and some football fans will be looking for an illegal stream instead of trying to watch it on Sky Sports.
BeStreamWise is planning to 'intercept' football fans searching for an illegal stream in the hopes of protecting them from 'the dangers of digital piracy'.
Is watching the North London Derby really worth the risk? (Visionhaus/Getty Images)
People searching for an illegal stream of the North London Derby will be redirected to another link provided by BeStreamWise.
However, what they'll get to watch will be a literal stream of water while a comedian provides some commentary of the babbling brook.
It might be a bit of a prank but they want you to be aware of the risk you're taking so you can watch 90 minutes of blokes kicking a ball around a pitch where your beloved team may or may not get absolutely tonked.
They've warned that going on the lookout for illegal streams may not only land you in trouble with the law but could leave you wide open for your devices to be infected with viruses and malware, or for you to fall victim to fraud and identity theft.
2.7 million devices belonging to Brits have ended up being infected due to illegal streaming, while 90 percent of illegal streaming sites are classed as risky.
Meanwhile, one in three people who admit to illegally streaming in the UK said they'd been targeted by fraud, identity theft or scams as a result.Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock / Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images
Updated 15:52 19 Mar 2024 GMTPublished 15:43 19 Mar 2024 GMT
IPTV 'piracy shield' could stop Brits watching illegal streams for good
This could be the beginning of the end for those who easily watch pirated content...
The rise of Internet Protocol television - or IPTV as every knows it - to watch premium TV, films, and live sport has resulted in the loss of billions in revenue to those providing the services. But its entire existence is threatened by new piracy weapons that are currently being used by authorities.
Using IPTV to watch the likes of Sky Sports or Netflix for free, which many do through hacking devices such as an Amazon Fire TV Stick or Roku box, is massively illegally and in direct violation of copyright law.
And with at least one million more people expected to use IPTV across Europe by the end of 2030, it is an issue that clearly shows no sign of going away any time soon.
But it could all change through one piece of software being used to stop illegal IPTV users in their tracks.
It comes as a landmark ruling has been passed in Spain concerning the fight against illegal streams of the country's top football competition, La Liga. Although the ruling has started to cause some confusion over conflicting interpretations.
But this new system goes a lot further and deeper than what is happening in Spain.
Brought in across Italy, the new Piracy Shield system is a game-changer in the country - albeit a controversial one.
The system went live in February this year and according to reports has already blocked 528 IP addresses as well as 114 illegal sites streaming premium content for free.
Getty Stock Images
What is Piracy Shield?
The whole purpose of Piracy Shield is to protect the intellectual rights that are held by the big sporting players in Italy.
We're on about the likes of Sky, DAZN, and Prime Video.
It works by blocking illegal streaming of their content, whether that's of the Champions League, Serie A, or other sporting events only viewable behind their paywalls.
Part of the services it blocks includes IPTV, as well as even DNS and VPN services that exist to bypass geo-specific rules.
Who is behind it?
The Authority for the Guarantee of Communications in Italy (AGCOM) is the body that has brought in Piracy Shield.
It's Italy's regulator of the telecommunications, audiovisual and publishing sectors.
Part of AGCOM's aim is to rid illegal streaming results from search engines like Google.
It means that, as a result of Piracy Shield, you cannot search for 'watch Serie A for free online' and get the result you're after.
Getty Stock Images
What happens next? Will illegal streaming die?
It's time to hold your breath. Piracy Shield is the first real example of authorities coming together to battle pirated content as it happens.
One VPN provider, ZoogVPN, says: "If combined efforts of rights holders, ISPs, VPN and DNS service providers, and search engines prove to be fruitful, there won’t be piracy platforms with decent traffic in a matter of months.
"It is a marathon event, not a sprint, and the coming months will be crucial in determining its effectiveness."
Those behind Piracy Shield have said it is essential for the survival of sport in the country, with TV rights playing a huge part in the revenue streams of the likes of Serie A football clubs.
Getty Stock Images
Will it come to the UK?
As it stands there's no known plans for a system like Piracy Shield to come to the UK.
But it's clear as day that it has the potential if it proves to be a success, especially when you look at the Premier League and the TV rights deals that come with it.
Last year, Sky Sports, the BBC and TNT Sports split the live and highlights rights for the Premier League for the next four years, valued at a staggering combined £6.7 billion.
For context, the current Serie A TV rights deal is worth £3.75 billion.
And with efforts in Spain increasing to tackle piracy of La Liga, there is growing pressure on foreign soil when it comes to take more hands on, affirmative action.Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images
Published 11:00 16 Aug 2024 GMT+1
Official Sky warning to Brits illegally streaming Premier League on IPTV as new season approaches
The Premier League kicks off with Manchester United hosting Fulham
The Premier League is back for the 2024/25 season and with it comes a warning over watching the hotly contested matches via illegal streams and Internet Protocol television (IPTV).
Manchester United will kick off the new season in their match against Fulham at Old Trafford on Friday night (16 August), with millions set to tune in to watch the return of domestic football after a summer of watching the Olympics and Euro 2024.
And while it may seem tempting to watch the United game via a dodgy box or something along those lines, doing so could land you in a lot of trouble.
It comes just days after two brothers were jailed for a total of 11 years for their role in illegal streaming of the Premier League, with Sky's director of Anti-Piracy, Matt Hibbert, saying the prosecution 'highlights the significant consequences for those that get involved in illegally streaming content'.
One growing method of watching sport for those who don't want to via paying for the official subscriptions is through IPTV, often accessed via jailbroken devices such as an Amazon Fire TV Stick.
Often sold via organised criminals, they bypass the operating system of the device to install IPTV apps that grant you 'free' access to thousands of films, shows, and live content including sport.
Amazon Fire TV Sticks are often jailbroken for IPTV purposes. (Nathan Stirk / Getty Images)
But Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT UK) and Sky are now working with regional police forces to target providers of these services across the UK, arresting potential criminals and seizing their lists - and identities - of people who pay heavily discount fees for illegal set ups.
Kieron Sharp, CEO at FACT, said: “Illegal IPTV service providers are breaking the law and putting consumers at real risk of malware, data compromise, and identity theft.
"Consumers who pay for pirate services should also know that they are often funding serious organised crime groups.
“FACT and Sky remain committed to disrupting these criminal operations and protecting consumers from the many dangers of illegal streaming."
People searching for an illegal stream of the North London Derby will be redirected to another link provided by BeStreamWise.
However, what they'll get to watch will be a literal stream of water while a comedian provides some commentary of the babbling brook.
It might be a bit of a prank but they want you to be aware of the risk you're taking so you can watch 90 minutes of blokes kicking a ball around a pitch where your beloved team may or may not get absolutely tonked.
They've warned that going on the lookout for illegal streams may not only land you in trouble with the law but could leave you wide open for your devices to be infected with viruses and malware, or for you to fall victim to fraud and identity theft.
2.7 million devices belonging to Brits have ended up being infected due to illegal streaming, while 90 percent of illegal streaming sites are classed as risky.
Meanwhile, one in three people who admit to illegally streaming in the UK said they'd been targeted by fraud, identity theft or scams as a result.Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock / Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images
Updated 15:52 19 Mar 2024 GMTPublished 15:43 19 Mar 2024 GMT
IPTV 'piracy shield' could stop Brits watching illegal streams for good
This could be the beginning of the end for those who easily watch pirated content...
The rise of Internet Protocol television - or IPTV as every knows it - to watch premium TV, films, and live sport has resulted in the loss of billions in revenue to those providing the services. But its entire existence is threatened by new piracy weapons that are currently being used by authorities.
Using IPTV to watch the likes of Sky Sports or Netflix for free, which many do through hacking devices such as an Amazon Fire TV Stick or Roku box, is massively illegally and in direct violation of copyright law.
And with at least one million more people expected to use IPTV across Europe by the end of 2030, it is an issue that clearly shows no sign of going away any time soon.
But it could all change through one piece of software being used to stop illegal IPTV users in their tracks.
It comes as a landmark ruling has been passed in Spain concerning the fight against illegal streams of the country's top football competition, La Liga. Although the ruling has started to cause some confusion over conflicting interpretations.
But this new system goes a lot further and deeper than what is happening in Spain.
Brought in across Italy, the new Piracy Shield system is a game-changer in the country - albeit a controversial one.
The system went live in February this year and according to reports has already blocked 528 IP addresses as well as 114 illegal sites streaming premium content for free.
Getty Stock ImagesWhat is Piracy Shield?
The whole purpose of Piracy Shield is to protect the intellectual rights that are held by the big sporting players in Italy.
We're on about the likes of Sky, DAZN, and Prime Video.
It works by blocking illegal streaming of their content, whether that's of the Champions League, Serie A, or other sporting events only viewable behind their paywalls.
Part of the services it blocks includes IPTV, as well as even DNS and VPN services that exist to bypass geo-specific rules.
Who is behind it?
The Authority for the Guarantee of Communications in Italy (AGCOM) is the body that has brought in Piracy Shield.
It's Italy's regulator of the telecommunications, audiovisual and publishing sectors.
Part of AGCOM's aim is to rid illegal streaming results from search engines like Google.
It means that, as a result of Piracy Shield, you cannot search for 'watch Serie A for free online' and get the result you're after.
Getty Stock ImagesWhat happens next? Will illegal streaming die?
It's time to hold your breath. Piracy Shield is the first real example of authorities coming together to battle pirated content as it happens.
One VPN provider, ZoogVPN, says: "If combined efforts of rights holders, ISPs, VPN and DNS service providers, and search engines prove to be fruitful, there won’t be piracy platforms with decent traffic in a matter of months.
"It is a marathon event, not a sprint, and the coming months will be crucial in determining its effectiveness."
Those behind Piracy Shield have said it is essential for the survival of sport in the country, with TV rights playing a huge part in the revenue streams of the likes of Serie A football clubs.
Getty Stock ImagesWill it come to the UK?
As it stands there's no known plans for a system like Piracy Shield to come to the UK.
But it's clear as day that it has the potential if it proves to be a success, especially when you look at the Premier League and the TV rights deals that come with it.
Last year, Sky Sports, the BBC and TNT Sports split the live and highlights rights for the Premier League for the next four years, valued at a staggering combined £6.7 billion.
For context, the current Serie A TV rights deal is worth £3.75 billion.
And with efforts in Spain increasing to tackle piracy of La Liga, there is growing pressure on foreign soil when it comes to take more hands on, affirmative action.Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images
Published 11:00 16 Aug 2024 GMT+1
Official Sky warning to Brits illegally streaming Premier League on IPTV as new season approaches
The Premier League kicks off with Manchester United hosting Fulham
The Premier League is back for the 2024/25 season and with it comes a warning over watching the hotly contested matches via illegal streams and Internet Protocol television (IPTV).
Manchester United will kick off the new season in their match against Fulham at Old Trafford on Friday night (16 August), with millions set to tune in to watch the return of domestic football after a summer of watching the Olympics and Euro 2024.
And while it may seem tempting to watch the United game via a dodgy box or something along those lines, doing so could land you in a lot of trouble.
It comes just days after two brothers were jailed for a total of 11 years for their role in illegal streaming of the Premier League, with Sky's director of Anti-Piracy, Matt Hibbert, saying the prosecution 'highlights the significant consequences for those that get involved in illegally streaming content'.
One growing method of watching sport for those who don't want to via paying for the official subscriptions is through IPTV, often accessed via jailbroken devices such as an Amazon Fire TV Stick.
Often sold via organised criminals, they bypass the operating system of the device to install IPTV apps that grant you 'free' access to thousands of films, shows, and live content including sport.
Amazon Fire TV Sticks are often jailbroken for IPTV purposes. (Nathan Stirk / Getty Images)But Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT UK) and Sky are now working with regional police forces to target providers of these services across the UK, arresting potential criminals and seizing their lists - and identities - of people who pay heavily discount fees for illegal set ups.
Kieron Sharp, CEO at FACT, said: “Illegal IPTV service providers are breaking the law and putting consumers at real risk of malware, data compromise, and identity theft.
"Consumers who pay for pirate services should also know that they are often funding serious organised crime groups.
“FACT and Sky remain committed to disrupting these criminal operations and protecting consumers from the many dangers of illegal streaming."
Erling Haaland is one of the top attractions when it comes to watching the Premier League. (Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
Hibbert said: “We understand the power of working with our partners to tackle the issue of illegal streaming, and we’re grateful to FACT and law enforcement for their support.
“At Sky we are passionate about protecting our content while ensuring consumers can enjoy the content they love, free from risks that illegal streams can pose.
“We’ll continue to support efforts to shut down the organised networks involved in the large-scale theft of our content and to protect consumers from the risks involved in accessing content in this way.”
FACT has been conducting nationwide 'Knock and Talks' whereby they approach homes of people who are listed as having illegal streaming set ups to let them know they need to stop or potentially face a day in court.
Hibbert said: “We understand the power of working with our partners to tackle the issue of illegal streaming, and we’re grateful to FACT and law enforcement for their support.
“At Sky we are passionate about protecting our content while ensuring consumers can enjoy the content they love, free from risks that illegal streams can pose.
“We’ll continue to support efforts to shut down the organised networks involved in the large-scale theft of our content and to protect consumers from the risks involved in accessing content in this way.”
FACT has been conducting nationwide 'Knock and Talks' whereby they approach homes of people who are listed as having illegal streaming set ups to let them know they need to stop or potentially face a day in court.
You put yourself at risk of becoming a victim of crime by illegally streaming. (Getty Stock Images)
The organisation says that illegal streaming also opens you up to being a victim of crime yourself via malicious software accessing your device.
This includes adware, which can lure users to suspicious websites; spyware, which spies on user activity; ransomware, which can lock devices until a ransom is paid; and trojans, which can grant access to a user’s device.
Maybe just go to the pub instead and support your local, watching the game over a few pints.Featured Image Credit: Nathan Stirk / Getty Images / Rob Newell - CameraSport via Getty Images
Updated 11:01 25 Apr 2024 GMT+1Published 18:07 24 Apr 2024 GMT+1
Premier League issues 'stark IPTV warning' after huge victory against illegal streamer
The operator of one of the UK's most popular illegal IPTV providers has been sentenced
The organisation says that illegal streaming also opens you up to being a victim of crime yourself via malicious software accessing your device.
This includes adware, which can lure users to suspicious websites; spyware, which spies on user activity; ransomware, which can lock devices until a ransom is paid; and trojans, which can grant access to a user’s device.
Maybe just go to the pub instead and support your local, watching the game over a few pints.Featured Image Credit: Nathan Stirk / Getty Images / Rob Newell - CameraSport via Getty Images
Updated 11:01 25 Apr 2024 GMT+1Published 18:07 24 Apr 2024 GMT+1
Premier League issues 'stark IPTV warning' after huge victory against illegal streamer
The operator of one of the UK's most popular illegal IPTV providers has been sentenced
The Premier League has issued a 'stark IPTV warning' following a landmark victory against one of the most popular providers of illegal streaming in the United Kingdom, Europe and the US.
Regarded by many as the best football league in the world - and certainly the league with the most money - the Premier League is ramping up its game when it comes to cracking down on those who don't want to pay for its content.
It's nothing new, with the league having a lengthy battle against illegal streaming. Anyone remember LimeWire or am I just showing my age?
Well, the league is celebrating a massive victory this week following a massive piracy case win centred around IPTV.
For those who might not quite know, IPTV is Internet Protocol television; a system that lets you watch TV online whether terrestrial, satellite or cable.
The issue is that it's increasingly harnessed by organised criminals, who supply live feeds to channels that come with a fee, such as Sky Sports and TNT Sports to watch the Premier League.
It's also used to provide links to TV shows and films that once again, you'd usually be expected to pay for. So you can understand why those that own the copyright or licence content would be miffed at not getting their dues.
It's why Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and six other mega corporations have teamed up for a landmark legal case in the States.
The Premier League is cracking down. (Marc Atkins/Getty Images)With this in mind, this week's win is seen as that big a victory that the Premier League's General Counsel, Kevin Plumb, said it serves as a 'stark warning to anyone involved in the illegal supply' of illegal streaming.
It concerns illegal IPTV subscription service BestBuy IPTV that reportedly charged $70 (£56) a year to use its library of 10,000 live channels spanning 38 countries as well as 19,000 TV shows and films on demand.
Well, the criminal running the illicit business - a Mr Le Hai Nam in Vietnam - has this week been convicted of online copyright infringement.
Following referrals by the Premier League and the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) earlier this month (19 April), the People's Court of Hanoi handed down Vietnam's first-ever criminal sentence for copyright infringement.
BestBuy IPTV became that notorious that it made the US Trade Representative's Notorious Markets List during the last five years for its crimes relating to the illegal supply of copyrighted content involving films, sports, and TV shows to not just Vietnamese people but buyers across the globe.
Watching premium sport on IPTV is illegal. (Getty Stock Images)Cash amounting to $24,000 was confiscated from Nam upon his arrest and put into the public purse.
Nam confessed to his crimes and was given a 30-month suspended prison sentence. He was also told to pay $4,000 (£3,216) and a further $12,000 (£9,648) in compensation.
The Premier League's General Counsel, Kevin Plumb, said: "This result should serve as a stark warning to anyone involved in the illegal supply of Premier League streams in Vietnam. It is the result of a strong partnership between the Vietnamese authorities and local law enforcement, ACE and the Premier League.
"The criminal conviction sets a significant precedent for future initiatives aimed at protecting intellectual property rights in Vietnam and beyond.
"We will continue to work with our local broadcast partner K+ to educate fans of the dangers of streaming Premier League football through pirate services and to remind them that the safest way to watch matches in the best quality is through our official licensee."
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IPTV is used for piracy means by millions. (Getty Stock Images)Judge Le Hai Yen of the Hanoi People's Court, said: "The defendant has violated the provisions of the law which protect the copyright and related rights of the Motion Picture Association's members and the English Premier League.
"Such crimes are a danger to society and needed to be strictly enforced and prosecuted. The case should serve as a deterrent to others."
The conviction comes just days after another popular IPTV app was blocked for millions in Europe. The only confusion with this was that this app didn't supply any illegal content.Featured Image Credit: Marc Atkins/Getty Images/Getty Stock Images
Published 15:50 24 Jul 2024 GMT+1
Brits using illegal Fire TV sticks warned 'this is just the start' with huge crackdown underway
Arrests were made and devices were seized as the reign of dodgy sticks is thrown
Let’s be honest, we all know someone who brags about how many channels they’ve got access to on their ‘dodgy stick’ – ok, or at least someone who knows someone.
But that might have decreased over recent months as a huge crackdown began in the UK.
Authorities have been tightening up on the use of IPTV and illegally modified Fire TV sticks, and Brits are now being warned ‘this is just the start’.
In a bid to swerve the fees that the likes of Netflix, Disney+ and Sky Sports come with, many people opt for a modified stick to watch subscription-based TV.
Time to throw out the dodgy sticks. (Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)However, streaming content you’re not paying for is a break of copyright laws.
The Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) recently teamed up with Sky and police forces to target those providing unauthorised access to these types of content with IPTV services and hacked sticks.
And the latest crackdown in a ‘month-long coordinated nationwide surge’ saw home raids and arrests with modified sticks and devices seized.
Various people from across the UK were arrested with 40 illegal IPTV operators caught up in the operation.
Arrests have been made in relation to the use of IPTV and illegal streaming. (Getty Stock Image)Speaking about this latest crackdown on illegal streams, Kieron Sharp, the FACT Chief Executive, said: "These measures underscore the serious consequences of engaging in such illicit activities.
"We thank the police services involved for their invaluable assistance in this operation, particularly Cheshire, Nottinghamshire and the North East Regional Crime Unit for executing the warrants.
"The rise in illegal IPTV operators using modified Firesticks to unlawfully access premium content is a growing concern."
This not only infringes upon copyright laws but deprives content creators and distributors of their rightful earnings and disrupts the economic balance of the creative industry.
Devices were seized. (FACT/Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)"FACT and our partners are steadfast in our commitment to disrupt these criminal operations. This is just the start of our enforcement efforts, with more actions planned."
And Matt Hibbert, the Group Director of Anti-Piracy at Sky TV, also added: "The action taken by FACT, police and Sky across the country sends a strong message to those involved in illegal streaming operations that they will be identified, and they will face consequences.
"We are very grateful to our partners for this latest wave of enforcement, and we will continue to work together to protect consumers from the risks of illegal streams.
"To this end, Sky proudly supports educational campaigns, including BeStreamWise.com, which highlights the risks of piracy and directs consumers to safe ways to enjoy the content they love."
