More staff have been employed by Sky television to police the illegal transmission of live premiership football, it has emerged.
According to the Publican, the television company has doubled the number of people it employs to investigate pubs and bars showing games without a licence.
A spokeswoman for Sky said that the company is taking very seriously those who are found to be breaking the laws and they would continue to improve and develop ways to protect legitimate subscribers.
Stephen Gerrard, prosecuting manager of the Federation Against Copyright Theft, told the website it was becoming easier to identify those showing games without a licence and that prosecutions would be brought against them.
"The courts have been clear in their message that this kind of illegal behaviour will not be tolerated and we will continue to see publicans lose their licences and pay substantial fines if they persist in breaking the law in this way," he said.
Earlier this month the Lancashire Telegraph reported that police had given clear warnings to licensees in Blackburn that if found to be breaking the law they would face prosecution and have equipment seized.
