[Saba Sports News] According to British media reports, the UEFA Champions League final between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain racked up as many as 16.2 million illegal viewings across the United Kingdom. The final was not available for free broadcast in the country. An analysis conducted by technical research firm Gaming Compliance International (GCI) recorded 16.2 million illegal streaming sessions of the match lasting over 90 seconds, with 3.7 million unique IP addresses traced. Meanwhile, more than seven million viewers in the UK tuned in via legal streams, predominantly on BT Sport and HBO Max. TNT sparked widespread controversy in Britain after opting against free-to-air coverage of the fixture, marking the first instance of its kind since the Champions League’s format revamp in 1992. While TNT voiced satisfaction with its legal linear and streaming audience of over seven million alongside a 25.6% viewing share, the rampant illegal viewership remains a persistent concern for the broadcaster, other media operators and copyright holders including UEFA and the Premier League. The lack of free viewing options is likely the primary driver behind the massive scale of unlawful streaming.
The editor believes that the shady links between illegal sports streaming and unlicensed gambling have grown increasingly close. Statistics show that 89% of adverts featured during the illegally streamed Champions League final came from gambling brands without official UK operating licences.