The fine 'dodgy' Fire Stick owners face as Sky plans major crackdown – 17 UK areas named | OneFootball

Sky are planning a crackdown on dodgy Fire Stick owners in a move that will impact 17 areas of the UK

The owners of jailbroken Amazon Firesticks have been issued a warning regarding a potential fine of £50,000.

Sky Sports are now working with the Federation Against Copyright Threat (FACT) in a bid to crackdown on the illegal streaming of their channels.

The broadcaster is the home of the EFL in the United Kingdom, with their current contract running until the end of the 2028/29 campaign.

Sky will show a total of over 1,000 EFL matches over the course of their current broadcast agreement, which started in 2024.

However, some people are able to access their channels through jailbroken firesticks, which allows them to circumvent the subscription restrictions in place in order to watch the EFL, and Sky Sports’ other programming, without paying the monthly fee.

Sky issue warning of jailbroken firestick crackdown

Sky have issued a warning to start the new year that they will be working with FACT in order to crack down on the usage of these jailbroken firesticks, which could lead to significant fines to anyone found guilty of their use.

They are seeking criminal damages under Section 11 of the 2006 Fraud Act, as they look to protect their intellectual property from theft, which could have a big impact on 17 areas of the UK.

"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,” said a Sky spokesperson, via the Daily Mail.

"We of course ensure that any action we take is compliant with all applicable laws."

A fine of up to £50,000 could be handed to anyone found guilty as part of this crackdown, as Sky look to protect themselves alongside FACT.

17 UK areas to be targeted in firestick crackdown

As part of this crackdown on these illegal firesticks, there are now 17 areas of the UK that are going to be targeted specifically.

The Sport Industry Report 2026 has revealed that up to 58 per cent of supporters and 66 per cent of industry professionals perceive the usage of jailbroken firesticks is socially acceptable.

But areas like London, Kent, Sussex and Norfolk are set to be targeted as part of plans to eliminate their use throughout the United Kingdom.

The other 13 areas that will be looked at, via the Daily Record, are as follows: Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire, East and West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Merseyside, Northumbria, North Yorkshire, South Wales, North East England and North West England.

Sky Sports confirmed in 2024 that they agreed an £895 million deal for the rights to broadcast the EFL in the UK and Ireland, along with an additional cost of £40 million towards marketing.

That is an annual payment of £187 million for the broadcaster, which will be shared among the clubs.

The cost of a Sky Sports subscription, which will provide access to the EFL, is currently available for £22 per month, which includes being locked into a 24 month contract with the company.

Given the increase in the cost of living that people are enduring at the moment, it should not come as a surprise that supporters are turning to this method to watch their team every week instead.