Tennis fans could be stung with huge fine for watching Six Kings Slam in little-known rule

Tennis fans could be hit with a hefty £1,000 fine if they fail to secure a TV licence before tuning into the Six Kings Slam on Netflix this week. The top dogs in men's tennis are set to battle from Wednesday, October 15 with the likes of Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic all taking to the courts in Saudi Arabia.

There is a blockbuster £4.5million prize pot up for grabs for the winner. However, a warning has been issued regarding tuning into the quarter finals between Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz and Stefanos Tsitsipas. Netflix is set to live-stream the matches, which will take place all the way through to Saturday.

However, while the streaming service typically doesn't require a TV licence, viewers have been warned that they could receive a £1,000 fine for tuning into the Six Kings Slams without one.

Solicitor Daniel McAfee said: "Under UK law, any live television broadcast requires a valid TV licence, regardless of the streaming platform-this includes Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime. Even if the live broadcast appears on a subscription-based service that otherwise only offers on-demand content, the rule applies.

"The licensing law aims to cover all live broadcasts to ensure that live television, whether over-the-air or streamed digitally, is monitored and funded appropriately. The law is comprehensive and applies equally to internet-based live streams as it does to traditional television."

The TV Licensing website confirms this little-known rule, stating that a licence covers you for all TV channels, paid services like Sky and Virgin Media as well as streaming platforms like YouTube, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

Advising on the fine, McAfee added: "Penalties for watching live broadcasts without a valid TV licence are substantial. Individuals caught watching live content without a licence could face fines up to £1,000. Additionally, the Licensing Authority may prosecute, which can lead to a criminal record.

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"As streaming platforms explore live content, it's possible that demand for TV licences could rise. This shift may lead to more prosecutions for unlicensed viewing if users are unaware of their obligations."