Poland’s audiovisual market loses nearly PLN3 billion (€672 million) a year due to the theft of video content.
Furthermore, according to the findings of a report by Deloitte analysed by the Polish anti-piracy body Sygnal, 7.3 million Polish internet users watch sites offering illegal access to audiovisual content.
Sygnal notes that although the number of internet users watching pirated content has in fact fallen by 900,000 in the last six years, the audiovisual market is seeing growing losses from piracy. In addition to the PLN3 billion figure, the state treasury loses some PLN1.86 billion a year.
The partial reduction of piracy in Poland is the result of systemic and costly actions on the part of the audiovisual industry. However, the available tools and legal solutions are not fully effective and it is necessary to adapt the law to European standards.
The report says that in 2022 the number of visits to pirated websites offering movies and series increased by about 36%, and those with illegal streaming of TV channels by 8.8% compared to 2016.
It also says that the scale of consumption of pirated content in Poland amounts to around PLN7.36 billion a year. Viewers typically spend PLN30 a month watching live pirated content and PLN27 a month on pirated VOD content. On average, pirated content is viewed 129.3 million times a month in Poland as of this year.
Commenting on these figures, Sygnal’s president Teresa Wierzbowska said: “The annual consumption of illegally offered content, estimated at PLN7.36 billion, is the amount that would pay for an annual subscription to the VOD service for all internet users in Poland watching video content. Analysing this data, it is easier to imagine the huge losses that Internet piracy brings to the Polish economy and the entire entertainment industry. It is also worth noting that users of illegal sources are willing to pay about PLN30 for access to platforms offering live broadcasts and PLN27 for VOD services. Meanwhile, legal sources offer similar subscription costs”.
