What Police Can Do If They Catch Sport Fans Using Illegal Fire Sticks

Illegal Fire Sticks have become a popular way for Premier League fans to watch their football while avoiding paying for services from Sky, Virgin Media, BT, and TalkTalk. Sports fans don’t only have channels from the UK at the click of a remote, but also from around the globe, including the USA.

The Intellectual Property Office estimates that 6.3 million people are watching television through illegal streams, and the authorities are doing their best to clamp down on this. These efforts intensified during the Christmas period, and hundreds of households received ‘cease and desist’ letters.

Jonathan Edge, from Liverpool, was jailed in November 2024 after being caught running an illegal football streaming service. Those providing such services aren’t only UK residents; users can also stream sporting events hosted by individuals in other countries.

Sports Fans Using Illegal Firesticks Could Be Prosecuted

The Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) claims that users of illegal streams could be prosecuted for criminal offences under Section 11 of the Fraud Act 2006. If you have access to such services, you are in violation of this, and that includes ‘knowing the services are made available on the basis that payment has been, is being or will be made for or in respect of them or that they might be; and avoids or intends to avoid payment in full or in part’.

If an individual is found guilty, they could face up to a 12-month prison sentence, with more serious offences carrying a five-year maximum. Those at risk of more severe punishment are involved in the selling or dealing of the devices.

Those who use Fire TV Sticks can watch Premier League games, including those during the 3 PM blackout. This is because countries such as the United States have broadcast rights to show 3 PM matches.

The usual price for football fans who abide by the law and pay for their services through the likes of Sky or Virgin is around £60 to £90 and this can add up to over £1,000 per year. This is why many are opting to pay significantly less and use Fire TV Stick to watch domestic and European football.

But the price that those found guilty could pay would be double the usual subscription prices for football. Barrister Lynetter Calder claimed back in 2024 (via The Sun) that such activities could lead to a £2,5000 fine.

While jail time is a possibility for users, this punishment is mainly aimed at those who install jailbroken software on devices and distribute it for profit. No individual who has been caught using a Fire Stick illegally has been handed a prison sentence.

One individual jailed for selling such devices was Sunny Kumar Kanda, who received a two-year sentence. He, like Mr Edge, was distributing illegal services and not solely using streaming services.

Sky Warn Illegal Streamers

The most popular provider in the UK is Sky, which is believed to have over 12 million customers. It is dominant in the pay-TV world because of its offers of extensive sports, entertainment, and film packages.

Sky Sports is the UK’s largest broadcaster and offers a range of channels dedicated to sports, including football, cricket, golf, Formula 1, and tennis. Its main competitor is TNT Sports, which, unlike Sky, has the rights to the UEFA Champions League.

The Fire Stick pandemic has impacted TV providers, and as such, Sky has issued its own statement on the situation, warning users about such illegal services. It claims that users risk fines of up to £50,000 or prison time of up to five years and they are working with FACT and the Premier League to ensure such access to their content isn’t possible.

Their statement read: “At Sky, we invest significantly in protecting our content, which can include taking action against those who watch Sky without paying the proper subscription fee. We of course ensure that any action we take is compliant with all applicable laws.”

It’s not just UK broadcasters who have been trying to clamp down on illegal streaming; UFC president Dana White has been taking an aggressive, long-term approach to prevent MMA fans from watching PPVs illegally.

White claims to have taken down streaming sites such as StreamEast, the largest illegal sports streaming service in the world, which was shut down by authorities during a raid in Egypt last year. Two Egyptian men arrested for running the services were alleged to have laundered advertising revenue at £4.9 billion since 2010.