In an attempt to draw sports enthusiasts, illegal streaming providers are collaborating with black-market bookmakers to give free bets and ad-free viewing subscriptions to their clients. Over 500,000 people watched the Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou fight last weekend illegally.
Details of an upsurge in illicit betting in this nation were unearthed on Tuesday by Mail Sport, and the findings seem to be closely related to the longer-standing problem of piracy and unlawful streaming.
The scope of the issue is shown by Yield Sec’s analysis of web traffic related to Joshua v. Ngannou and the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. This should cause great concern for authorized bookies and holders of legitimate sports rights. During Yield Sec’s special inquiry last weekend, several startling revelations were made, including:
Over 500,000 viewers watched Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou’s fight illegally for free
The loss to UK rights holders alone was £1.92million based on the £20 pay-per-fee charged
Yield Sec chief executive officer Ismail Vali told Mail Sport that their findings clearly demonstrate the growing partnership between illegal streaming and betting companies, which he believes present a threat to the integrity of sport and its future revenues.
‘This convergence of illegal betting and streaming further underscores a significant threat to the integrity of sports,’ Vali said. ‘It shows the urgent need for a comprehensive approach to monitoring and enforcement, for the protection of consumers, revenue and our cultural events.
Just under 20,000 online gambling operators offered betting markets on the Saudi Grand Prix in jurisdictions which they had no local licensing for
‘Illegal streaming providers capitalise on the restrictions faced by legal operators, offering viewers an array of choice that legal platforms cannot match. By bundling their offerings with ad-supported content, often linked to illegal gambling, illegal streamers not only siphon revenue from the legitimate industry, but also entrench their position by catering to a global audience seeking unrestricted access to content.
‘This sophisticated exploitation of market limitations highlights the urgent need for coordinated international efforts to address the root causes of illegal streaming and gambling.’
