More Brits than ever before are using illegal Fire Sticks to stream their favourite programmes and sports events.
The trend has become a cause for concern among UK officials, with it being estimated by the Intellectual Property Office that 6.3 million people across the country access illegally streamed TV.
According to the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT), these users could be prosecuted for criminal offences under Section 11 of the Fraud Act 2006.
Efforts to crack down on the Fire Stick epidemic were ramped up over the Christmas period, with hundreds of letters sent out to households across the country following the prosecution of Jonathan Edge, who ran an illegal football streaming service.
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The 'cease and desist' letters served as a reminder to users about running the risk of criminal liability, as well as the exposure to scams and viruses.
Some of the devices themselves have been warning users of using them for illegal purposes, even offering to uninstall the apps to avoid any charges.
Sky has even got involved, claiming that users are now risking fines of up to £50,000 or prison time of up to five years. The broadcaster warned that they are working with FACT and the Premier League to make sure people won't be able to access their content illegally.
For football fans, subscriptions to all the relevant channels add up to around £60 and can reach over £90, which can add up to over £1,000 each year. The sheer cost of this is driving footy fanatics to fork out a considerable smaller amount to have a Fire TV Stick, which allows them to watch all Premier League and European games.
A Sky spokesperson stated (via The Daily Mail): "At Sky, we invest significantly in protecting our content, which can include taking action against those who watch Sky without paying the proper subscription fee.
"We of course ensure that any action we take is compliant with all applicable laws."
So, what can police get away with if they catch you with a 'dodgy' Fire Stick?
What the police can do if they find you with a jailbroken Fire Stick
Having access to illegal streaming services means you're in violation of section 11 of the Fraud Act 2006, which cites 'obtaining services dishonestly'. This also includes 'knowing the services are made available on the basis that payment has been, is being or will be made for or in respect of them or that they might be; and avoids or intends to avoid payment in full or in part'.
Being found guilty of this could result in a 12-month prison sentence, stretching to to five years for more serious offences.
More severe punishments would be for more than simply owning a Fire Stick, such as being involved in the selling or dealing of the devices.
Barrister Lynetter Calder was quoted by the Sun in 2024 saying that these activities can be punishable by a fine of £2,500, more than double what football subscriptions would add up to.
What the police can't do if they find you with a jailbroken Fire Stick
The threat of jail time is sure to scare many users, but this looks to be aimed towards those installing the jailbroken software onto the sticks and distributing them so they can make money off it.
There are currently no known cases of a Fire Stick user being handed a prison sentence for buying and using a Fire Stick.
Sentences have been given to those caught in possession of a chipped device with the intention to distribute it though, with several others in addition to Edge facing anywhere between two and four years behind bars.
Sunny Kumar Kanda, form Halifax, was given a two-year sentence at York Crown Court for selling the devices, for example.
There is no way of knowing if owning a Fire Stick will land you hard time, though you may be better off avoiding the risk.
Topics: Crime, Football, Premier League, TV, UK News, Technology
Joshua Nair