The case of Hung Yen Provincial Police dismantling the website operating CakhiaTV, RakhoiTV, CaheoTV is not just a story of copyright infringement of international football tournaments. It is noteworthy that illegal football broadcasting activities are identified as being related to organizing large-scale online gambling.
This reality shows that behind free matches is not simply the act of illegally watching copyrighted tournaments. It is also an ecosystem fed by betting advertising, illegal revenue and huge traffic from viewers.
Illegal football sites cannot exist without viewers
According to journalist Truong Anh Ngoc, functional agencies are showing great determination in handling copyright infringement. However, to solve the root of the problem, it is not only necessary to handle illegal website operators but also to change the perception of users themselves.
He believes that many young people turn to illegal broadcast websites because they are free, convenient and highly interactive. They are commented on, exchanged and express personal opinions more than when watching on traditional television platforms.
However, what not everyone realizes is that these websites cannot exist without viewers.
Illegal websites do not exist naturally. They must have audiences, have users. Most of them are young people. They think this is a free environment for entertainment and self-expression, but do not realize that behind it are many pitfalls," journalist Truong Anh Ngoc commented.
According to journalist Truong Anh Ngoc, for many years, the fact that a part of users underestimate copyright issues has contributed to creating conditions for pirated websites to develop strongly. Not only football, a similar situation has also appeared in pirated film platforms and many other stolen digital content products.
Many people believe that accessing these websites is harmless because it does not cost money. They can watch for free, interact and express personal opinions more than official platforms. That thought has contributed to supporting copyright infringement models for many years.
Behind the free matches is the betting ecosystem
Journalist Truong Anh Ngoc said that the most worrying thing is the link between illegal broadcasting websites and online betting activities.
These websites are often maintained by money from bookmaker advertising and online betting activities. This is almost a symbiotic relationship as the larger the number of viewers, the higher the ability to reach betting participants.
Money from betting helps maintain the domain name system, servers, operating forces, commentators and many other activities. The more viewers, the larger the number of people participating in betting, the stronger that ecosystem develops," Mr. Ngoc analyzed.
In fact, many illegally broadcast websites today not only illegally broadcast matches but also appear densely advertising bookmakers, links to betting groups or invitations to participate in online gambling platforms.
Viewers may initially just want to find a free link to watch the match. However, after many exposures to betting promotional content, they are at risk of being led to participate in illegal activities without fully understanding the consequences.
Journalist Truong Anh Ngoc believes that this is the reason why the handling of illegal broadcast websites needs to be viewed more broadly than the simple story of copyright. On the one hand, functional agencies need to continue to act drastically, regularly and continuously to handle violating lines. On the other hand, viewers also need to change their perceptions, understanding that each visit to illegally broadcast websites not only facilitates copyright infringement but also contributes to supporting the online betting ecosystem.
In the context of the upcoming 2026 World Cup, journalist Truong Anh Ngoc highly appreciates the fact that copyright holders strengthen communication about intellectual property rights in addition to introducing programs accompanying the tournament. According to him, this is a way to help audiences better understand the value of copyright and choose legal platforms to watch football.
The case in Hung Yen shows that behind free matches is sometimes a well-organized network of law violations. When illegal football websites are dismantled, what is protected is not only the interests of the copyright holder but also the safety of the viewers themselves from the traps in cyberspace.
