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DAZN demands €500 from pirate users in Italy

October 13, 2025

From Branislav Pekic in Rome

DAZN is intensifying its fight against digital piracy in Italy by sending letters to around 2,200 individuals identified by the Italian Finance Police (Guardia di Finanza) as having watched football matches using illegal subscriptions.

These users, who have already received administrative fines, are now being asked to pay a €500 “lump-sum compensation” to DAZN within seven days to settle the matter and avoid further legal action.

The letters, signed by DAZN Italia CEO Stefano Azzi, demand not only the payment but also a “formal commitment” from pirate users to cease all future copyright infringements. Failure to respond within the seven-day window will prompt DAZN to initiate civil proceedings for “compensation and protection,” which the broadcaster warns could result in “increased costs” amounting to “several thousand euros,” potentially equivalent to a decade of legitimate subscriptions.

This aggressive strategy stems from investigations led by the Lecce Prosecutor’s Office, with collaboration from prosecutor’s offices in Bologna, Cagliari, Naples, and Catania. The Guardia di Finanza’s Special Unit for Goods and Services identified these users through detailed analysis, dismantling illegal IPTV infrastructures that broadcast Serie A, Serie B, and European Cup matches. The data of the fined individuals was then shared with DAZN, which is recognised as the “injured party” in these copyright infringement cases.

DAZN emphasises that while administrative fines address the violation, they do not negate the civil damages suffered by the rights holder. The broadcaster asserts its right to pursue compensation from those who unlawfully exploited its content.

Stefano Azzi, CEO of DAZN Italy, commented that “illegally watching content puts those who do it at risk and strikes at the very foundations of sport. It’s not smart. It’s not free. It’s not without consequences.”

Luigi De Siervo, CEO of Lega Calcio Serie A, echoed this sentiment, stating: “The era of impunity is finally coming to an end: the net around digital pirates is tightening month by month.”

General Crescenzo Sciaraffa of the Guardia di Finanza noted a positive trend where some fined individuals have cooperated by providing new information, aiding ongoing anti-piracy investigations, and highlighting how piracy fuels illegal activities and organised crime.

Since the beginning of the year, nearly 2,500 pirate users have been fined, with over 3,000 more currently being identified, indicating a sustained and growing crackdown on digital piracy in Italy.

Categories: Content, Headline, Piracy

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