What police can and can't do if you're caught using a 'dodgy' Fire Stick | OneFootball

Football League World analyses exactly what the police can and can't do if you're found using an illegally-chipped Amazon Fire Stick device...

The authorities are making increased efforts to fight back against illegal streaming activities through jailbroken Amazon Fire Stick devices, which have grown in popularity across the United Kingdom in recent years.

Often available at a significantly cheaper price as opposed to subscription packages for Sky Sports or other leading broadcasting services, 'dodgy' Fire Sticks are being chipped with jailbroken software, sold to the public and, to those using them, replacing legal streaming of EFL and Premier League fixtures, alternative live sporting events, films and television programmes at an alarming rate.

A study conducted by the Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence found that such activities are costing the country's economy up to £7bn, meaning it's no surprise that the government, police officials and television rights holders are all scrambling for a solution.

The Daily Record recently reported that 17 areas throughout the country are being targeted in a new crackdown on illegal Fire Sticks, with regions ranging from South Wales and Sussex to North Yorkshire, Northumbria and the North East having been identified.

This development is sure to put the public on red alert, but what can the police do if you're caught using a 'dodgy' Fire Stick? And what can't they do? Football League World takes a closer look...

What the police can do if you're caught using a 'dodgy' Fire Stick

Accessing illegal streaming devices carries a risk and it falls foul of section 11 of the Fraud Act 2006, which cites 'obtaining services dishonestly,' including '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'.

Violating section 11 can result in a prison sentence of up to 12 months for a summary conviction, and offences deemed more serious could lead to a five-year sentence.

A five-year prison sentence wouldn't, of course, be forthcoming for simply using a jailbroken Amazon Fire Stick device, although doing so could still technically land a fine and a year in prison.

Many punters have voiced their own thoughts on the authorities' hardened stance towards combating illegal streaming, but ultimately, the law is the law and that is the risk that is being taken when choosing to knowingly purchase a chipped Amazon Fire Stick device.

Being slapped with a significant fine is a likelier outcome, and it has been widely reported that either distributing or using illegal streaming software to watch live events can be met with a fine of up to £50,000. A more specific figure was thrown up in 2024 by barrister Lynette Calder, who, as quoted by The Sun, warned the public that such activities are punishable by a fine of £2,500.

That figure is considerably more expensive than any regular, legal streaming subscription, meaning what is viewed as a cheeky bargain could come at a big price.

What the police can't do if you're caught using a 'dodgy' Fire Stick

Although officials have warned about the threat of jail time, this appears to pertain to individuals fitting the devices with jailbroken software and distributing them for their own financial gain as opposed to those simply purchasing and possessing the devices.

That's because, at the time of writing, there are no known cases of any individual receiving a prison sentence for choosing to purchase a 'dodgy' Fire Stick over a legal streaming subscription service.

There have, however, been a number of high-profile sentences for those who are caught in possession of a chipped device with the intention of distribution. This time last year, a 40-year-old man from Halifax - Sunny Kumar Kanda - was sentenced to two years behind bars at York Crown Court after selling illegally-chipped Amazon Fire Sticks, while Jonathan Edge from Liverpool received a 40-month sentence for the same crime.

These individuals are just two examples, which show exactly how seriously the authorities are taking the issue as a whole.

It's not to say that using 'dodgy' Fire Sticks could never result in a prison sentence either, although receiving a warning or even a fine looks to be most likely for consumers at this moment in time.

The authorities must also act according to the law when combating the issue, and require evidence of illegal activity - usually done by digitally monitoring for suspicious keywords on social media and message logs, analysing seized devices and tracking IP addresses - in order to raid homes and confiscate devices.

But, providing the right measures are carried out beforehand, the police are allowed to seize your device, subsequently helping to find the supplier/s.