IPTV fines hit all customers in Norway – including those who only tried the service
Police have issued fines to between 50 and 150 people across Norway following the uncovering of illegal IPTV trade. Even brief use results in punishment.
Police pursue all IPTV customers – no one escapes regardless of usage period
A woman in her 40s from Bergen has received a fine of 20,000 kroner plus a confiscation amount of 65,000 kroner for four years of using illegal IPTV streaming, according to an.no citing Nettavisen. Police describe the 65,000 kroner as the amount she saved through the breach of law.
The case stems from a larger investigation into a man in his 50s from Buskerud, who over a five-year period earned 1.7 million kroner selling access to illegal IPTV services. When police obtained his customer list, the investigation was launched against all registered users. Between 50 and 150 people across the country have to date received fine notices.
No exceptions – not even for trial users
Police prosecutor Sofie Earl Færøvig from the South-East Police District is unequivocal: it applies to everyone who has purchased access to the service, regardless of duration.
– It applies to everyone who has purchased access to the service, Færøvig told Nettavisen.
The fact that one has merely "tried" the service for just one month does not change whether one will be punished – only the size of the fine and confiscation amount. The longer and more frequently one has streamed illegally, the higher the total amount becomes.
If one refuses to accept the fine notice, the procedure is clear according to the police prosecutor:
– If the notice is not accepted, the case could be sent to court for further proceedings, Færøvig warns.
Bank statements and Vipps transactions reveal customers
Færøvig does not wish to go into detail about exactly how police identify individual customers from the seller's list, but describes the typical investigation steps.
– In such cases, the investigation would normally be able to include obtaining information such as bank statements, Vipps transactions or information from other payment services. This can help identify customers and provide an overview of purchases, she explains.
The matter becomes time-barred like all other criminal cases, but Færøvig clarifies that everyone on customer lists investigated before the limitation period expires will receive a criminal sanction.
Deliberate deterrent effect
Police make no secret of the fact that the large fines to private individuals throughout Norway are a deliberate means to put a stop to widespread illegal streaming.
– We believe this is a type of crime that many may not be fully aware is illegal. There may also be a perception that the action is not so serious because "many" are doing it, Færøvig explains.
Police hope that the high amounts will have a deterrent effect on the many consumers who have so far paid for cheap and illegal access to, for example, Premier League.
– The notice can altogether constitute high amounts, but is a consequence of something one otherwise wanted to save money on. We therefore believe that the reactions can also have a deterrent effect. At the same time, I understand that the amounts can be perceived as high for many, the police prosecutor concedes.
300,000 households and 910 million kroner per year
According to Swedish analysis company Mediavision, an estimated 300,000 Norwegian households use illegal IPTV. Together they pay an estimated 910 million kroner per year for these services – a figure that has provoked reactions in the television industry.
– The most striking thing is that one cannot say the problem has decreased in Norway. The proportion is admittedly slightly lower than in the record year 2025, but the change is not statistically certain, said Adrian Grande, analyst at Mediavision, to Nettavisen.
Police emphasise that the purchase and sale of illegal IPTV is classified as profit-driven and economic crime, and that resources have been allocated for precisely this type of investigation.
– The purchase and sale of illegal IPTV can fall within profit-driven and economic crime, and police have a duty to enforce the law, says Færøvig.
The pursuit of customers is not yet complete, and police signal that more notices will be issued as the investigation progresses.
Source: Google News DK — Crime (da)