Premier League illegal streaming could see criminal action taken, police warn

Return of football has triggered a huge demand to watch games behind paywalls, but the City of London Police has issued a clear warning that fans who use illegal services are putting their family at risk as well as breaking the law

Premier League fans have been warned they face heavy sanctions for watching illegal streams of games following the return of football this week, and could put their family’s safety at great risk due to the threat of dangerous malware that is common with online broadcast links.

The top flight returned on Wednesday night with two of the remaining 92 league games yet to be completed in the 2019/20 season, which has been heavily disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic.

But after a 100-day hiatus on football in Britain, the clamour to watch matches by any means necessary has been extraordinary. With fans locked out of stadiums due to the new coronavirus safety protocols, broadcasters have been flexible in making coverage available for all. Live games have returned to the BBC for the first time since the late 1980s, while both Amazon Prime and Sky Sports have made a number of their matches available free-to-air to ensure that supporters do not miss out on the season run-in.

However, some games remain unwatchable without subscriptions, with BT Sport remaining behind a paywall as well as some of Sky’s headline fixtures, and as a result the demand for illegal streams is higher than ever.

A crackdown on illegal football coverage in recent years has made it much tougher to watch games for free, and the City of London Police’s Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) has warned those who consider relying on unofficial streams that large fines and prison sentences await them if they are caught.

Detective Chief Inspector Nick Court, the head of PIPCU, said: “The return of the Premier League is something lots of football fans have been waiting for. As matches are having to be played in empty stadiums, and pubs remain closed, we are expecting considerably more people to be watching from the comfort of their own living room - but don’t let your eagerness to tune in make you commit a crime.

“Not only is it illegal to stream matches without paying for them, but it’s also unreliable and risky. You never know what malware is in the stream you are using and what damage it is doing to your device. Furthermore, law enforcement agencies and legitimate providers can shut illegal sites down during the match, often at a crucial point, to dissuade people from using these sites in the future.

“By using official providers these risks can easily be avoided. Remember - watch it live, watch it legally.”

The crackdown on illegal streaming saw three individuals jailed last year for a combination of 17 years, having defrauded the Premier League by providing coverage online to more than 1,000 pubs, clubs and homes throughout England and Wales.

Premier League fans have to watch all games from home (Getty) (Manchester United via Getty Images)

Steven King, 50, from Coventry, was sentenced to seven years and four months in prison, while Paul Rolston, 53, from Coventry, was jailed for six years and four months. A third man, Daniel Malone, 41, from Coventry, received a sentence of three years and three months’ imprisonment.

Fact UK, leaders in intellectual property protection, stressed that the only way to avoid both criminal action and risking the safety of your household is to utilise official and legal streams of the Premier League.

According to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), hackers target football fans by guessing passwords based on the club they support, with findings revealing that almost 700,000 subscription accounts were compromised using such methods.

Both the NCSC and Fact have told football supporters to be extra vigilant in streaming games online, urging them to only use official and legal services, because of what the repercussions are if illegal streams result in malware being downloaded.

“It’s completely understandable that when the current Premier League season restarts, demand to watch the matches will be extremely high,” said Fact chief executive Kieron Sharp. “However, it’s essential to remember that the only legal way of watching Premier League matches, and any other content, is through the official providers.

“We encourage everyone to watch only via official providers as this doesn’t only guarantee that you’re not breaking the law but also guarantees that you’re not putting yourself and your family at risk of malware and inappropriate content.

“Fact is continuing to monitor content sources and works with members and industry to tackle illegal activity.”