Greece Implements New Pirate IPTV Law That Threatens Users with €750 Fines 

• Greece adopted a proposed bill that targets pirate IPTV subscribers with fines starting at €750 for personal use cases.
• It includes broad definitions, such as the possession of illicit software or hardware, underscoring the new law's expansive reach.
• Simply downloading a piracy-enabling app or subscribing to a pirate IPTV service could now result in substantial fines.

A significant move to curb piracy in Greece introduces a new law targeting buyers of illegal IPTV subscriptions. Under these legal amendments, individuals who obtain or use unauthorized IPTV services may face administrative fines of €750 per violation for private use. 

Fines increase to €1,500 for public display and €5,000 if the service is used commercially, and repeat offenders will see these penalties doubled, reaching up to €1,500 per violation.

Article 65A of the revised law outlines a specific €750 fine for individuals who access illegal IPTV services, possess unauthorized software, or use equipment designed to facilitate piracy. 

Article 65A | Source: TorrentFreak

Enforcing this new law relies on detailed customer data obtained during criminal investigations targeting IPTV suppliers. These details, including names, email addresses, and payment information, will be transmitted to authorities to identify and penalize users. 

Industry reports indicate that a customer list of 13,000 entries was seized during recent enforcement operations. While specific fining procedures have not been announced, this data is expected to be central in the crackdown.

Greece has historically implemented several anti-piracy measures, including DNS and IP address blocking for infringing platforms. However, these actions have proven insufficient, particularly in stemming the consumption of pirated live sporting events. 

This development coincides with a criminal trial of unprecedented scale in Greece. Seventeen defendants stand accused of running a pirate IPTV operation that generated an estimated €25 million in profits over eight years. 

Authorities claim this illegal activity cost legal broadcasters, such as Cosmote, Nova, and Vodafone, over €100 million in losses. Suspects allegedly laundered their criminal earnings through real estate investments, business formations, and transactions with betting companies. 

Administrative sanctions like fines have long existed in Greek law to address intellectual property violations. Extending these sanctions to the consumer end of IPTV piracy is a significant step. 

By targeting consumers directly, Greek authorities aim to shift public behavior while minimizing revenue losses for legitimate broadcasters.

Last year, Italy announced an automatic solution to fine citizens who own pirate IPTV subscriptions.