Over 2,000 IPTV pirates face claims as Dazn and Sky crack down | OneFootball

The fight against digital piracy in Italian football marks an important new step. Over 2,000 Italian users, already sanctioned by the Guardia di Finanza in recent months, now risk having to pay compensation to the holders of sports content rights. The action concerns illegal IPTV subscribers distributed across 80 Italian provinces.

The Guardia di Finanza dismantles illegal networks: those who use pirate IPTV will have to compensate the holders of football rights

According to statements from the rights holders, the data of pirate users was obtained thanks to authorization from the Judicial Authority, following an investigation conducted by the Special Goods and Services Unit of the Guardia di Finanza in Rome and the Economic and Financial Police Unit of Lecce, coordinated by the local Prosecutor’s Office. The operation, as reported by Adnkronos, made it possible to dismantle an IPTV infrastructure that broadcast content in violation of the Copyright Law (no. 633/41), tracing the users through personal, banking, and geographical data.

“Watching content illegally puts those who do it at risk and strikes at the very roots of sport. It’s not clever. It’s not free. It’s not without consequences,” emphasized Stefano Azzi, CEO of Dazn Italia. “A compensatory action, which can amount to several thousand euros, is equivalent to about ten years of legal subscriptions. Supporting your team from the stadium or at home in a legal way is a safe choice for viewers and the only way to keep alive the spectacle we love.” Andrea Duilio, CEO of Sky Italia, added: “The fight against piracy does not concern only those who manage illegal platforms: those who use them are also committing real theft, with real consequences. These behaviors damage entire economic sectors and put the jobs of many people at risk.”

Luigi De Siervo, CEO of Lega Calcio Serie A, stated: “Those who choose to watch pirated content, in addition to being prosecuted by the Guardia di Finanza, will have to compensate the licensees of the rights exploited unlawfully. Finally, the era of impunity is coming to an end: the net is tightening around digital pirates month by month.” Gen. B. Crescenzo Sciaraffa, Commander of the Special Goods and Services Unit, concluded by highlighting a positive effect of home notifications: “In some cases, those sanctioned have cooperated by providing new information about the organizers of illegal activities, allowing investigations to be updated. Piracy acts as a multiplier of illegality, fueling undeclared work, tax evasion, and organized crime.”

Andrea Alati

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.