Sweden’s Minister of Culture has taken over a running investigation of pirate streaming services, from a government special investigator who estimated that about 700,000 Swedes use these illegal services for TV, sports programming and movies. The investigation was begun in February 2025.
The government is leaning toward criminalizing the consumption of illegal IPTV services; classifying consumers – many of whom are unaware that the services they are using are illegal – as infringing parties themselves. Consumers would be subject to fines, while operators could be sentenced to as much as six years in jail.
The investigation also recommended that law enforcement, and, Sweden’s tax, patent and telecoms authorities all make illegal services a priority. Another remedy suggested by the investigator was to enact site blocking and removal of illegal sites from search engine results.
New rules go into effect in mid-2026. The level of fines is not yet established
Why it matters
“Illegal IP-TV is a major problem for the film and television industry in Sweden,” says Minister of Culture Parisa Liljestrand. “…For some time we have seen a worrying development where money that should go to companies and cultural creators instead goes straight into the pockets of criminals. The government is therefore very keen to find solutions to counter this.”
One of the conclusions reached by the special investigator was that it was “almost impossible” to reach illegal sources. For that reason, the recommendation was to penalize private individuals who use them.
Further reading
Measures against illegal IPTV are proposed. Article. September 2025. Rättighetsalliansen (Swedish Rights Alliance)
New law proposal could fine 700,000 Swedes for illegal IPTV use. Article. September 30, 2025. by Sara Haldert, Kristoffer Viita, Sweden Herald
Sweden opens piracy investigation. Illegal streaming doubled in the past three years there. Article. February 10, 2025. by Steven Hawley. Piracy Monitor
