Fines issued in France to viewers of illegal streaming services

Nineteen viewers and two suppliers of illegally streamed sports content have been fined in France following an investigation into the practice.

The landmark move has been backed by France’s professional football league.

Fines around €300 to €400 were issued by the public prosecutor in Arras, Pas-de-Calais to users of IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) services that allow users to stream international television channels via the internet to their devices. 

While not illegal in themselves, IPTV boxes can be used to bypass subscriptions or paywalls for VOD (Video on Demand) content from subscription services such as Netflix, Canal+, and Disney+. 

A box can also be used to stream live TV such as sports matches that are available in other countries but are locked behind subscription streaming services or paid TV channels in France. 

Around 8 million homes are thought to use IPTV boxes, although there is no suggestion all are used for illegal streaming.

Viewers using an IPTV box to bypass paywalls and access premium content for free can be traced through several means, including their IP (internet) address used when illegally watching content, as well as other personal details linked to their IPTV installation including name and physical address.

Authorities can use these to trace the location, and in turn, details of viewers. 

It comes amid a wider crackdown on illegal streaming in France, which in 2025 saw VPN (Virtual Private Network) providers ordered to block more than 200 websites which stream sports illegally for free. 

French football league backs more fines

The fines were backed by the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) which runs professional football in France. 

The fines send a “strong signal [to users] who mistakenly believe they can act with impunity when they are knowingly contributing to a mafia-like ecosystem that seriously harms the entire sports sector,” the LFP said in a statement.

The LFP hopes that by targeting viewers as well as streaming sites themselves, it will reduce the demand for illegal services. 

French sports media L'Équipe estimates French sports teams – primarily football clubs – lose around €400 million per year to illegal streaming, weakening domestic clubs in European competitions.

Fans who opt to illegally stream reduce revenue for paid subscription services, so lowering the values of TV subscription deals and team sponsorships, as well as reducing attendances at stadiums. 

Under plans to make paid streaming more attractive, the LFP is planning a subscription service for the 2026-2027 season that will allow users to stream all Ligue 1 matches in France for a fixed fee of €19.99 per month (that cannot be cancelled until the end of the year).

While fines in this case reached up to €400, the maximum possible fine under the 1986 law used to penalise viewers is €7,500.

In 2025 French senators approved a bill that would see ‘audiovisual piracy’ become a dedicated offence, with suppliers of illegal streams risking up to €300,000 in fines and three years in prison. 

Under the proposals, viewers would be seen as beneficiaries of stolen goods and risk up to €375,000 or five years in prison as a maximum offence. 

The bill is yet to be approved by MPs.