Amazon has warned customers about the risks of using modified Fire Sticks to access pirated content, following fresh concerns that illegal streaming of live sport is spreading on what experts call an “industrial scale.”
A report released last week by Enders Analysis claimed that video piracy, particularly of live sporting events, is escalating rapidly.
The study accused some of the world’s largest technology companies of showing “ambivalence and inertia” in tackling the issue, while highlighting the Amazon Fire Stick as one of the most common tools being exploited for illegal use.
The Fire Stick itself is a legitimate product, designed to give users simple access to popular streaming apps and channels. However, the device can be easily “jailbroken” to bypass restrictions and run third-party apps that broadcast pirated sports events. Enders reported that 59% of UK Fire Stick owners admitted to using them for illicit streaming in the past year alone.
The scale of piracy, they warned, is now comparable to “industrial-scale theft,” with high-profile football matches and other major events drawing tens of thousands of viewers away from licensed broadcasters and towards illegal streams.
Amazon, which also broadcasts live sport through its Prime Video platform, said it has made changes to its Fire TV devices to make piracy more difficult. The company issued a sharp warning to those tempted by free streams.
“Pirated content violates our policies regarding intellectual property rights, and compromises the security and privacy of our customers,” a spokesperson stated, via the Daily Mail. “We work with industry partners and relevant authorities to combat piracy and protect customers from the risks associated with pirated content. Our Appstore prohibits apps that infringe upon the rights of third parties and we warn customers of the risks associated with installing or using apps from unknown sources.”
Authorities in the UK have been increasingly active in cracking down on piracy networks. Earlier this year, Halifax man Sunny Kanda was jailed for two years after earning more than $146,000 by selling access to pirated sports streams between 2020 and 2022, BBC News reported.
Broadcasters including Sky, DAZN, and the Premier League have repeatedly sounded the alarm about piracy’s rapid rise, with some estimating losses in the hundreds of millions. In France, a government study claimed the sports sector had lost €240m ($280m) to audiovisual piracy, according to SVG Europe.
Many fans, however, argue that the soaring cost of subscriptions is fuelling demand for illegal alternatives.
Research suggests that in the 2023–24 season, UK viewers needed to pay around $1,176 annually to access every televised Premier League match.
For households also subscribing to films, documentaries, and children’s programming, the bill could easily climb above $1,351 per year.
Broadcasters counter that their own costs are immense. Rights holders like Sky, TNT Sports, and DAZN spend billions to secure exclusive rights to leagues and tournaments.
They argue that piracy undermines the sustainability of sports broadcasting and threatens the revenue streams that fund clubs and competitions.
For Amazon and its rivals, the message is clear: while a modified Fire Stick may promise “free sport,” the risks (from malware to legal consequences) are far greater than many fans realise.