Government urged to do more to tackle £1bn piracy problem in sport and entertainment
Illegal streaming of live sport, film and TV is costing the UK economy £1.35bn and requires a tougher crackdown, the government has been told.
Piracy of content including Premier League football is depriving the Exchequer of £366m in tax and could fund 10,000 jobs in media, according to a new report commissioned by cross-industry coalition BeStreamWise.
Sir John Whittingdale MP, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Intellectual Property, said: “This report should act as a wake-up call: intellectual property theft and illegal streaming is a serious threat and urgent action is needed.
“The report provides concrete evidence that piracy costs the UK economy more than £1bn every year and jeopardises thousands of creative industry jobs. It also directly exposes consumers to the risk of fraud, with some individuals losing thousands of pounds.
“Government and Parliament need to work together with industry to enforce the law, to protect investment and to safeguard jobs in one of Britain’s crown jewel sectors.”
The Price of Piracy report calls for the government and the wider industry to take coordinated action to clamp down on the availability and visibility of illegal streaming services.
How illegal streaming impacts the likes of Premier League
“Illegal streaming isn’t a victimless crime,” said Matt Hibbert, group director of anti-piracy at Sky. “It takes money out of the creative economy that would otherwise support investment in British television, film and sport, while exposing consumers to fraud, scams and identity theft.
“This report shows the scale of what is being lost to piracy and why government and industry need to work together to protect British creativity, jobs and consumers.”
The Premier League is one of the most proactive rightsholders in sport when it comes to tackling illegal streaming devices, which could dent the value of its world-leading media rights.
Liz Bales, chief executive at the British Association for Screen Entertainment, said: “We have spent almost two decades working closely with the industry to tackle infringement and educate consumers on the safest way to enjoy the films and TV shows they love, but as viewing habits and piracy tactics continue to evolve, this increasingly requires a more integrated approach.”