High Court Orders Revolut to Expose Hundreds of Illegal IPTV Users in Landmark Irish Case

The High Court has ordered Revolut to hand over the personal and banking details of 304 subscribers and 10 resellers connected to an illegal streaming service, in what is the first action of its kind taken against IPTV end users in Ireland.

Judge Brian Cregan granted a Norwich Pharmacal order on 25 March 2026, requiring Revolut Bank UAB to provide the names, addresses, and banking details of those linked to an illegal service called "IPTV is Easy." The information is to be provided on an encrypted spreadsheet within 28 days.

The application was brought by Sky UK Ltd, Sky Ireland Ltd, and Sky Subscribers Services Ltd. It was also supported by Premier Sports, GAA+, LOITV, and Clubber TV, indicating the affected content extends well beyond Sky's own channels.

Theo Donnelly, Sky's barrister, told the court the information is expected to be used to take legal action against resellers and some end users, but that it would not be possible to bring cases against all 304 subscribers. Counsel for Revolut, John Freeman, said his client was neutral on the application. The court order restricts use of the personal details to initiating legal proceedings; Sky cannot demand money without judicial oversight.

How the Case Arose

The order stems from a separate investigation into David Dunbar, of Manor Crescent, Roxborough Manor, Co Wexford, who was identified as the operator of "IPTV is Easy." Dunbar sold subscriptions for €80 to €100 per year, with payments made primarily to his Revolut account.

Sky was originally tipped off via an anonymous report to Crime Stoppers, a UK-based charity. The High Court granted Sky an Anton Piller order and a Mareva injunction in May 2025. Dunbar subsequently refused to allow an independent solicitor access to his property on two occasions, destroyed data on his computer, deleted Telegram accounts used with resellers and customers, and dissipated assets.

He was fined €30,000 for contempt of court and consented to judgment against him for approximately €480,000 over his infringement activities. Statements from his now-closed Revolut account revealed he received approximately €118,992 from resellers and €72,414 plus £9,256 from end users over roughly three and a half years.

Sky's investigation also uncovered 180,865 bets on Dunbar's Bet365 account between August 2022 and May 2025, with total stakes of €1,114,125.

Why Now

Sky investigator Damien Gilmore said in an affidavit that at least five of Dunbar's resellers continue to sell illegal IPTV services. Infringement levels tend to peak at this time of year, with Premier League football a significant factor, along with Formula 1 racing and major golf tournaments in the coming months.

Sky has said it hopes that exposing subscribers will create a deterrent effect on the estimated 400,000 pirate IPTV users in Ireland.

The Legal Stakes

Under Ireland's Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000, those who use illegal streaming services can face fines of up to €127,000 or up to five years in prison. However, there is no existing case law for action against individual subscribers in Ireland; any prosecution would be a legal first.

In France, 19 IPTV subscribers were fined between €300 and €400 after their identities were exposed through a reseller bust. In Italy, rights holders sent civil damages demands on top of criminal fines following the dismantling of a pirate network.

In 2025, fifteen retailers across Ireland were also targeted by FACT (Federation Against Copyright Theft), working with Sky TV, in the first enforcement of its kind directed at retail premises in Ireland.

Mr Justice Sanfey previously warned that anyone running similar operations should consider how vulnerable they are to discovery and exposure.

Sources: The Irish Times (25–26 March 2026), Irish Examiner (26 March 2026), The Journal (27 March 2026), TorrentFreak (28 March 2026), Irish Legal News (August 2025).