Streaming services were widely heralded as a potential solution to curb piracy due to their convenient, affordable access. However, that dream is long dead, with piracy making a tremendous resurgence in recent years as many consumers turn to illegal streams.
A recently released report by MUSO tracked 216 billion visits to illegal websites in 2024. The TV and film sectors were worst hit, both accounting for over 100 billion visits to piracy websites.
Much of the piracy threat seen today stems from the actions of streaming platforms and the industry as a whole.
The surge of streaming services and rising subscription costs
When Netflix launched in 2007, it was the only streaming service available on the market. Fast forward to 2025, and the industry is saturated with streaming services, like Prime Video, Peacock, Fubo, Max, YouTube TV, and Hulu, to name a few.
The situation might get even worse in the coming years as cable and media companies continue to launch new streaming platforms, further overcrowding the already congested market.
Unfortunately, the surge of streaming platforms has not made streaming more affordable. Instead, it has done the opposite; it has directly contributed to rising subscription costs.
Due to the intense competition in the streaming market, platforms are investing heavily in content production, including originals and high-budget shows and movies. These production costs are often passed on to consumers through higher subscription fees.
The competition in the streaming industry and high demand for quality content have also given content distributors leverage in licensing negotiations. Consequently, this has led to rising carriage fees, which are once again passed on to subscribers.
Unfortunately, many consumers are unable to afford the rising cost of streaming subscriptions. Most of them are thus finding comfort in illegal streams, where they can get the content they want for free or at throw-away prices.
Streaming fragmentation and subscription fatigue
The increase in the number of streaming platforms hasn’t just led to price hikes; it is also causing streaming fragmentation.
Major production studios and media companies have launched their own streaming platforms, each offering exclusive content. Therefore, consumers have to maintain multiple subscriptions to access the content they want.
To make matters worse, the content libraries and channel lineups offered by streaming services are always changing. Therefore, consumers must constantly review and adjust their subscriptions to keep up with evolving content offerings.
The overwhelming number of subscriptions, multiple monthly charges, decision overload, and mental burden of managing and juggling different platforms are leading to subscription fatigue.
As a result, many consumers are opting for illegal streaming services that offer a wide variety of content on a single platform. Additionally, these platforms will often not require subscriptions or account registrations.
But, other than subscription fatigue, the fragmentation of streaming services is also contributing to rising subscription fees.
Take, for example, live sporting events like the NFL, which is fragmented across different streaming platforms.
To watch all NFL games, an individual needs to subscribe to a live TV service (like YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV), the NFL Sunday Ticket, and platforms like Prime Video, Peacock, and Paramount+, which offer exclusive games.
On their own, each of these services may be affordable, but when combined, the cost becomes prohibitive for most. As a result, many consumers turn to illegal streams, which are incredibly cheap (or free) and not fragmented.
Economic strain fuelling piracy
The streaming industry, however, is not entirely to blame for the re-emergence of piracy. Consumers have also been grappling with economic strain, driven by rising inflation and high living costs.
With household budgets stretched thin, many consumers are having to cut back on streaming costs.
The need to cut back on the entertainment budget, coupled with rising subscription prices, puts many consumers in a tight corner. Unfortunately, this creates a strong incentive for using illegal streams.
The evolving nature of digital piracy
Another factor that is contributing to the resurgence and growth of illegal streams is the evolving nature of digital piracy.
One aspect of piracy that has evolved is the type of content consumed.
A few years back, TV and film were among the most pirated content. And while they remain among the most illegally consumed content, live events, especially sports, are gradually overtaking them.
Live sports events have a high demand, making them attractive targets for piracy. Additionally, their ephemeral nature makes real-time anti-piracy enforcement very difficult, further fueling the growth of illegal sports streaming.
Besides content, digital piracy has also evolved in terms of consumption methods and piracy technologies.
In the 2000s, people consumed pirated content by downloading it from P2P clients like LimeWire and BitTorrent, or directly from websites. And while the broadband internet at the time made pirating easy, downloading files was still a lengthy and frustrating process.
In 2025, digital piracy has evolved significantly, with streaming being the most common way to access pirated content. Numerous illegal streams are available on the internet, some of which even mimic the user interface of legit platforms.
These streaming sites are hard to shut down, as operators often create multiple mirror sites, ensuring they continue to operate even when they become targets of anti-piracy enforcement.
On the consumers’ end, the rise of lightning-fast internet has made illegal streaming easier and more accessible than ever. Additionally, many people now use technologies such as VPNs to hide their illicit streaming activities from law enforcement and anti-piracy organizations.
Changes needed in the streaming industry to curb piracy
The streaming industry needs several changes if there’s to be any hope of combating piracy. First and foremost, streaming services need to be affordable; the high cost of streaming is a significant factor driving consumers to piracy.
Several platforms are already offering affordable, ad-supported streaming plans or cheaper skinny bundles. The introduction of free, ad-supported streaming platforms is also helping capture many consumers who would otherwise turn to piracy.
However, as Gabe Newell, president of video game company Valve Corporation, once put it, piracy is not a pricing issue but rather a service one.
Therefore, in addition to making streaming affordable, streaming services must also improve the services they offer consumers. For example, platforms must enhance the convenience and ease of accessing content.
Streaming fragmentation also needs to be addressed. Content needs to be consolidated so consumers can access what they need on fewer platforms, eliminating the need to maintain multiple subscriptions.