Illegal sports streaming has long been treated as a nuisance problem, an issue of piracy rather than public harm. A new report suggests that that approach is critically outdated. According to fresh research from the Campaign for Fairer Gambling (CFG), illegal sports streams have become one of the main gateways into unregulated gambling, quietly steering viewers toward offshore betting sites that operate outside consumer protections.
The Intersection
The report, titled Illegal Streaming of Sports Events and Illegal Gambling and compiled using data from Yield Sec, argues that illegal streaming and black-market gambling now operate as a single ecosystem. In 2024 and the first half of 2025, researchers found that 89% of illegal sports streams carried advertising for illegal gambling platforms.
During that period, UK audiences consumed an estimated 4.7 billion illegal sports streams, equivalent to roughly 45 streams per person. By comparison, the figure in the United States stood at around 12 per person. CFG warns that these streams are widespread and highly effective at funnelling viewers into unlicensed gambling environments.
Vulnerable Audiences Caught in the Middle
One of the report’s central concerns is who is watching these streams. CFG says the audiences most exposed include minors and gamblers who have self-excluded from licensed platforms. Because illegal operators do not respect national safeguards such as age checks or self-exclusion schemes, viewers who should be protected are instead being actively targeted.
With that, CFG founder Derek Webb placed responsibility squarely on what he described as weak enforcement by UK authorities. Webb, a former professional poker player and the creator of Three Card Poker, said illegal sports streaming has become a recruitment pipeline for organised criminal gambling networks.
In his view, the UK has become too permissive, allowing offshore structures to flourish under outdated legislation. He also criticised the continued acceptance of legal operators basing themselves in jurisdictions such as Malta and Gibraltar, arguing that this blurs the line between regulated and unregulated gambling in the eyes of consumers.
Cost Pressures Remain a Key Issue
The report also points to economics as a key driver. Watching top-level football legally in the UK now requires subscriptions to multiple platforms, often costing close to £100 per month. Illegal streams, by contrast, are free, easily accessible, and aggressively promoted across social media.
While licensed operators argue that rising taxes and compliance costs make it harder to compete with offshore rivals, CFG maintains that the solution lies in stronger market control. The organisation urges authorities to monitor, police, and enforce against illegal streaming as a priority, warning that failure to act will only accelerate migration to the black market.
Beyond gambling, the report highlights the broader risks hidden behind illegal streams. 89% of illegal streaming sites reportedly also expose users to malware, spyware, keystroke logging, and data theft. Viewers may believe they are simply watching sport for free, but are often handing over personal and financial information in the process.
Illegal sports streaming might now be more than just about stolen content. It is a frontline issue for consumer protection, gambling regulation, and online safety. This makes it a factor that regulators can no longer afford to treat as a secondary concern.
