UK sports piracy boom exposes links to unlicensed gambling and online scams

Illegal sports streaming in the UK is accelerating, and new data suggests it is being propped up by advertising from unlicensed gambling operators.

Fans looking to avoid rising subscription fees on legitimate platforms are increasingly turning to unauthorised sites that offer free or low-cost access to live events.

But the growth is also drawing attention to the risks that sit behind the streams, including malware, scams, and exposure to gambling products that operate outside UK rules.

According to Bloomberg, a report from data analytics firm Yield Sec, published Thursday, found the top 10 pirated sports sites in the UK recorded 1.6 billion views in the first half of 2025, up by around a third from the previous year.

Yield Sec tracked activity across websites and apps, including some undercover work, and only counted stream views that lasted longer than 90 seconds.

Pirated streams are growing as paywalls spread

Pirated sites typically offer live sports, including football, boxing, tennis, and cricket, often alongside movies and TV shows.

They are widely promoted on mainstream social media, making them easy to discover for fans who want a cheaper and more frictionless way to watch.

Public attitudes are also shifting.

Data from Nielsen found 58% of people in the UK see illegal streaming as socially acceptable.

Separately, a UK government report found 38% of people watched pirated live sports in 2024.

Unlicensed gambling ads are funding the piracy ecosystem

Yield Sec’s report points to a tight commercial link between piracy and illegal gambling.

These sites heavily promote unregulated gambling services and cryptocurrency products, using sports content as a powerful hook to attract large audiences.

Yield Sec says unlicensed gambling operators have expanded to 9% of the UK’s gambling market. The report was funded by the gambling reform group The Campaign for Fairer Gambling.

Because these operators avoid taxes and restrictions that regulated firms must follow, they can offer aggressive sign-up bonuses and promotions.

The ad spending, in turn, helps keep pirate streaming sites running.

Malware and scams remain a major risk for users

While viewers in the UK are rarely targeted through criminal prosecution or civil claims, rights holders and gambling safety advocates warn that the wider ecosystem creates serious risks.

Pirated streaming sites can expose users to malware and identity theft threats.

Cybersecurity company OpenText found 90% of these sites contained risks such as malware, phishing attempts, fake security software, and other scam tactics.

Enforcement efforts struggle to keep pace

Sports leagues and rights holders have stepped up action through takedown notices, court orders, and real-time monitoring to disrupt piracy networks.

The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment, which includes UEFA and DAZN Group among its members, works with law enforcement to remove major piracy operations.

In September, the group said it worked with police in Egypt to shut down StreamEast, described as the world’s largest piracy network, notes Bloomberg.

ACE said the network used around 80 domains, streamed Premier League football, Formula One, and the NBA, and was visited more than 1.6 billion times in the past year.

Even with enforcement, disruption remains difficult. When one domain is blocked, replacements often appear quickly, sometimes from jurisdictions with weaker rules.

Live sport is especially valuable for piracy because its commercial value drops sharply once a match ends.