Illegal IPTV surges to over 1.5 million Nordic households, finds Mediavision’s 2025 Piracy Analysis

Illegal IPTV services continue to pose a significant challenge to the Nordic audiovisual industry, according to Mediavision’s latest Nordic Piracy Analysis unveiled on 28 May. The report finds that over 1.5 million households across Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden now subscribe to these illicit platforms — marking a sharp 16% increase compared to spring 2024. This means an additional 200,000 households have joined the ranks of illegal IPTV users within just one year.

In detail, illegal IPTV refers to paid internet services that provide illegal access to thousands of TV channels and streaming platforms at a low cost. Despite the highly developed and accessible legal content market in the Nordics, these pirate services have attracted a growing user base by offering a broader selection of content at lower prices.

Mediavision tracks this elusive phenomenon through an extensive methodology. When asked how they estimate the number of households using illegal IPTV services, analyst Adrian Grande explains: “We track illegal IPTV usage through extensive, biannual online surveys across the Nordic region. In spring 2025, over 6,400 individuals aged 15–74 were interviewed across Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. The sample is nationally representative and weighted by different demographical variables to ensure reliable projections to the national level. Respondents remain anonymous.”

The self-reported data at the individual level is then extrapolated to household-level estimates by applying reported penetration rates to national population data. This approach “aligns with established industry standards for consumer behaviour research and allows for high confidence tracking over time”.

Asked about the sources of information and tools used in their analysis, the spokesperson confirms reliance on consumer surveys combined with historical data: “Importantly, our research is grounded in long-running time series — tracking piracy behaviour since 2010. This allows us to identify trends over time, quantify changes, and distinguish between short-term fluctuations and structural shifts in consumer behaviour.”

Looking at the evolution of illegal IPTV use over the past few years, Mediavision confirms significant growth: “Over the past three years, illegal IPTV has grown significantly across the Nordics,” Grande says. “Sweden, Denmark, and Norway each have a higher household penetration, while Finland lags behind. Notably, Norway experienced the largest growth year-over-year.” When asked why users turn to illegal IPTV despite living in a region with a highly developed and accessible legal offer, the answer points to cost and convenience: “The main reasons are access and cost. With legal content spread across multiple platforms, many consumers experience ‘subscription fatigue’ and turn to illegal IPTV for broader access — especially to live sports and international channels — at a lower price.”

This trend poses a serious threat to the legal market. Illegal IPTV services often mimic legitimate platforms, leading to consumer confusion. “The fact that users pay for these services further reinforces this misconception. It’s a growing problem that undermines the sustainability of the legal audiovisual ecosystem.”

Demographically, illegal IPTV usage shows clear patterns. “Illegal IPTV usage is more common among younger individuals and men. Across all countries, men are overrepresented among users —around 60% or more, depending on country,” Grande adds.

While exact figures on overlap between legal and illegal subscriptions are unavailable, Mediavision confirms that many consumers use both simultaneously. The illegal services often supplement legal offerings, especially for content such as live sports and international channels.

Regarding content preferences, live sports and streaming services top the list, the Mediavision analyst reveals: “Live sports and access to streaming services are the main reasons why consumers choose to subscribe to illegal IPTV in the Nordics. These services typically offer a wide selection of premium content that would otherwise require multiple legal subscriptions.”

“In addition to sports and streaming platforms, many users are also drawn by the availability of traditional pay TV channels and foreign television channels. This broader range of content — often including international series, niche channels, and localised offerings — adds to the perceived value and appeal of illegal IPTV, especially when compared to standard legal packages,” he continues.

While preferences are largely similar across the region, the relative importance of each content type may vary slightly by country.

On the question of economic impact, the report refrains from giving a total loss estimate, but highlights consumer spending: “The report does not include an estimate of the total economic loss for the Nordic audiovisual industry. Based on our data, however, we estimate that Nordic consumers spend approximately €350 million annually on illegal IPTV.”

Asked about possible remedies to limit the impact of piracy, Mediavision points to a range of measures. “Given the new Swedish directive, introducing a legal ban on the use of illegal IPTV services by individuals should be a central measure. This would send a clear signal that consumption, not just distribution, is unlawful and carries consequences. To complement legislation, real-time disruption of pirate services and stronger cooperation across rights holders, ISPs and regulators remain essential. Education campaigns and improved legal content offerings—especially through aggregators or operator bundles—are also key to shifting consumer behavior,” Grande notes.

As for broader strategies, common solutions include unified legal content hubs encouraging partnerships and bundling; dynamic pricing models; consumer education campaigns; real-time disruption of pirate streams; stronger legal enforcement; and enhanced cross-border collaboration. “Most anti-piracy strategies are relevant, but legal clarity and enforceability are becoming increasingly urgent,” Grande observes. “Sweden’s potential consumer-level ban could set a precedent in the Nordics, especially if paired with enforcement and public communication.”

As illegal IPTV usage grows, the Nordic audiovisual sector faces mounting challenges to protect its revenues and uphold content rights. Mediavision’s Nordic Piracy Analysis stands as an essential resource to understand and combat this evolving problem.