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The illegal streaming of live sports in Britain has increased to an estimated 3.6 billion streams per year, according to reports. This is more than double the level recorded three years earlier. The report states that the piracy boom is because of a fast-growing black market in online gambling.
Researchers found that 89% of illegal sports streams accessed in Britain carried advertising or prompts for black-market betting sites.
The report, commissioned by the Campaign for Fairer Gambling and produced using data from online threat and marketplace intelligence firm Yield Sec, argues that piracy is no longer just a copyright problem for broadcasters and leagues. It says illegal streams are increasingly being used as a direct acquisition channel for unlicensed bookmakers.
Unlicensed betting market grows alongside piracy
Yield Sec founder Ismail Vali described unlicensed gambling as the “media partner” of illegal streaming, arguing that pirate platforms are built and scaled because they can be monetised through illicit betting.
The report’s warning is that what started as a pipeline aimed at high-spending or vulnerable gamblers is now bleeding into the mainstream. One concern highlighted is the targeting of people who are underage or have self-excluded via GamStop, who may be blocked on regulated platforms but can still be reached through offshore sites promoted in pirate-stream environments.
The same report estimates that unlicensed gambling operators generated £379 million in revenue in the first half of 2025, accounting for around 9% of Britain’s £8.2 billion online gambling market. That is a sharp rise from an estimated 2% share in 2022.
Premier League takedowns keep rising, but the flood continues
The Premier League has spent years building anti-piracy infrastructure, including live monitoring and blocking orders aimed at cutting streams mid-match. It has also collaborated with platforms to remove links and accounts promoting unauthorized access.
The new report lands even as the league’s enforcement teams continue to rack up large takedown totals during the current season. Yet the scale of illegal viewing, and the speed with which pirate streams regenerate, suggests enforcement is fighting volume as much as individual operators.
It also creates a second hit for clubs that rely on partnerships with regulated gambling brands. If pirate streams are packed with black-market ads, licensed operators are effectively competing against illegal rivals in the same attention space, without the same compliance costs.
Pressure builds on the regulator as taxes rise
The Campaign for Fairer Gambling’s founder, Derek Webb, argues Britain has been too slow to treat the black market as a mainstream threat, saying regulators and industry bodies underestimated it for years.
The political backdrop is also shifting. In the autumn budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced £26m in additional funding for the Gambling Commission to strengthen enforcement against illegal operators.
At the same time, the government is pressing ahead with a major tax rise that the regulated industry says could widen the gap between licensed and offshore sites. Under the UK government’s plans, the Remote Gaming Duty will rise from 21% to 40% from 1 April 2026.
Critics of the tax hike argue that higher costs for licensed firms can lead to worse pricing, fewer promotions, or stricter regulations, all of which make offshore alternatives more attractive to some consumers. The Guardian report notes industry concern that the April change could further boost unlicensed growth.
Source: The Guardian
