Warning over use of 'dodgy boxes' to stream top-flight soccer

The public has been warned it is illegal to use 'dodgy boxes' to watch English Premier League games as the season progresses. 

The public has been warned it is illegal to use “dodgy boxes” to watch English Premier League games as the season progresses, with estimates saying around 15% of households could be using such devices.

Intellectual property protection organisation Fact said it has launched another wave of legal warnings to people across Ireland in person, by post, and by email regarding access to premium TV content.

These cease-and-desist notices order those running the services to immediately cease all illegal streaming activity or risk facing consequences, including criminal prosecution.

They were issued to addresses within the counties of Mayo, Monaghan, Galway, Louth, Dublin, Cork, and Laois between August 7-18.

So-called “dodgy boxes” have become popular in Ireland in recent years, providing access to football games and films that would typically require a subscription to Sky or another content provider.

Fact CEO Kieron Sharp said it is “difficult to know” how many households use such devices but said market research suggests it could be anything from “15% of the population to higher than that”.

“It is certainly widespread enough to create a need for the sorts of action we’ve been undertaking,” he said.

Mr Sharp said that while individuals who use these devices are not in the crosshairs of their latest crackdown, they are still breaking the law by doing so.

People using them are not immune to our investigations.

“But it’s all about trying to stop the problem at its source.”

A crackdown in the UK saw five men sentenced to a total of 30 years in prison for their part in running three illegal streaming services. The ringleader received a sentence of 11 years.

The case was brought by the English Premier League and supported by Sky.

Mr Sharp said that was a “very extreme example” and those sellers being targeted in Ireland would be on a much lower scale.

“What we try to do is have our reaction proportionate to the level of offending,” he said. “In the first place, we want to stop it, and prevent it from happening.”

An Garda Síochána has said its intellectual property crime unit is working with industry and service providers to investigate illicit streaming.

Mr Sharp added that this latest campaign in August will be followed on in the future, promising “another wave coming” in a bid to crackdown on the use of dodgy boxes.