MILAN (Reuters) - Sports video service DAZN urged Italy to speed up plans to introduce tougher rules against online TV piracy as the use of illegally streamed content surged across the country in the past five years.
Illegal access to live sport streaming events are costing the industry some 290 million euros ($317 million) annually, DAZN's Italy boss Stefano Azzi said, citing a survey promoted by FAPAV, the country's audiovisual anti-piracy federation.
According to FAPAV's survey, last year illegal access to live sports streaming events in Italy surged by 26% compared with 2021.
Azzi called on the Italian parliament to speed up the approval of a bill "which would enable authorities to block illegal platforms within 30 minutes of initial complaints".
Currently the main rights holder for live Serie A matches, DAZN is vying to secure domestic broadcasting licences for the country's top flight soccer league for the 2024-2029 period.
Earlier this month Serie A said initial bids received from DAZN, Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA)'s Sky and MediaForEurope fell short of its target of raising 1.2 billion euros per season, forcing the league into a round of private talks with suitors to get improved offers.
Domestic broadcasting licences are a key source of revenue for Serie A clubs such as this year's champions Napoli, Juventus, AC Milan and Inter Milan.
Serie A collected some 930 million euros per season from the sale of its TV rights in Italy in the three-year cycle ending in June 2024, with DAZN securing the lion's share in return for a 840 million euro annual outlay.
The total figure is however only half of the amount England's Premier League collects under its existing TV deals in its home market, according to UEFA data.
Rights holders and sporting bodies are constantly seeking to clamp down on illegal access to live action that threatens to undermine their business model.($1 = 0.9154 euros)