Is digital piracy making its comeback in Belgium?
The Brussels Times reports that digital piracy may be rising again in Belgium, driven by high subscription prices, fragmented streaming platforms, limited content availability and dissatisfaction with legal streaming services. Although downloading, streaming or sharing pirated content is illegal in Belgium, enforcement is generally focused on suppliers and criminal hosting networks rather than individual consumers.
According to piracy tracking firm MUSO, Belgium recorded 896 million visits to piracy related websites in 2025, ranking 10th among the 27 EU member states. TV content is the biggest piracy category, including television, anime, live sports and live broadcasts, making up more than 52% of activity. Publishing is also significant at 35.5%, while film, software and music account for smaller shares.
The article says piracy methods have changed. Traditional peer to peer torrenting now represents only a small share of activity, while illegal streaming sites, file hosting links, Telegram and Discord groups, stream ripping tools and pirated IPTV services have become more common. Some IPTV services are run by organized crime groups that sell cheap access to many streaming services through private servers.
Belgian and EU enforcement mainly targets illegal providers by blocking piracy websites through telecom operators such as Proximus and Orange. The article says this is considered more effective than pursuing individual users. Europol has also been dismantling IPTV piracy operations in several European countries.
The piece concludes that piracy remains morally and economically contested. Critics see it as theft that damages creators, funds crime and exposes users to risks, while supporters argue that expensive and fragmented digital markets push people toward piracy. Belgium and Benelux, early hubs of digital piracy, may again become part of a broader “piracy renaissance.”
