New Legislation Puts IPTV Operators & Promoters in the Crosshairs

French football is facing a financial crisis, and lawmakers are stepping in with a new bill that targets both structural issues in the sport and the growing threat of IPTV piracy.

Senators Michel Savin and Laurent Lafon have introduced a proposal that includes sweeping reforms to improve football’s organization, management, and financial stability.

The bill also introduces severe penalties for those running or promoting illegal streaming services, aiming to protect the sport’s primary revenue source—broadcasting rights.

Football’s Financial Struggles in France

Across Europe, professional football clubs have been warning of financial instability for years. With rising ticket prices and fans juggling multiple subscription services to follow their teams, frustration is mounting.

In France, Ligue 1 has been particularly affected. The league has struggled to secure long-term broadcasting deals, leading to declining viewership and unstable revenue. Last month, tensions between DAZN and Ligue 1 boiled over, raising concerns about a potential financial collapse. DAZN eventually paid €70 million in overdue licensing fees for February alone, temporarily easing the crisis. However, the larger problems facing the sport remain.

The proposed law states that Ligue 1 is losing appeal and value due to frequent changes in broadcasting partners and an oversaturation of matches. Fans are frustrated by the constant need to purchase multiple subscriptions to watch different competitions, leading many to turn to illegal streaming services.

IPTV Piracy: A Growing Threat to the Industry

Illegal streaming has become a major problem for the football industry. In 2023 alone, pirate sports broadcasts were responsible for an estimated €290 million in lost revenue, accounting for roughly 15% of the market. New reports suggest that over 50% of football fans in France now rely on pirated streams, despite efforts to block thousands of illegal domains.

The proposed legislation aims to expand blocking capabilities by giving telecom regulator ARCOM the power to implement automated, real-time site blocking during live matches. This system would allow ISPs to take down pirate streams immediately, even if they haven’t been previously identified in a court order.

We have already seen measures taken in France including Secret Raids to block Pirate Sites.

Severe Penalties for IPTV Operators and Promoters

The bill introduces several new offenses and harsh penalties for those involved in IPTV piracy:

Major Offenses and Punishments

• Operating a pirate streaming service: Running a platform that broadcasts sporting events without authorization could result in three years in prison and a €300,000 fine.

• Operating as an organized group: If multiple people collaborate to run an illegal IPTV service, the penalties increase to seven years in prison and a €750,000 fine.

• Selling IPTV devices or software: Distributing, manufacturing, or installing devices designed for illegal streaming carries the same penalties as running an IPTV service.

Promotion and Advertising of Illegal Streams

• Encouraging piracy through ads or promotions: Any form of advertising or incitement to use pirate IPTV services could lead to one year in prison and a €15,000 fine.

While the punishments for operators are severe, the bill makes it clear that individual users of illegal IPTV services will not be targeted. This varies from other countries such as Greece who are targeting users with new laws and fines.

Will These Measures Be Effective?

French lawmakers hope that stricter enforcement will help curb piracy, but some challenges remain. Many illegal IPTV services operate outside of France, making enforcement difficult. While automated site-blocking may reduce piracy in the short term, determined users often find alternative ways to access streams.

The success of this legislation will depend on consistent enforcement and international cooperation. If major platforms, payment processors, and advertisers crack down on these services, they could become less profitable and harder to sustain.

For now, French football’s financial future remains uncertain. Whether this bill will provide real solutions or simply push piracy further underground remains to be seen.

Final Thoughts

This proposed law represents one of the toughest crackdowns on IPTV piracy in Europe. By focusing on the operators and promoters rather than individual users, French authorities are hoping to protect the sport’s revenue while avoiding backlash from fans. However, with streaming piracy deeply embedded in the culture of modern sports consumption, completely eliminating the problem will be a difficult challenge.

Football fans and IPTV providers alike will be watching closely to see if this bill becomes law—and if it actually makes a difference.

This story was first reported by TorrentFreak.

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