• The President of UOKiK, Tomasz Chróstny, has initiated a preliminary investigation into the CLOUT MMA streaming service and requested explanations from companies operating under the business names No Limit and Multi Agency Górska.
• The Authority has received numerous complaints from people who paid for broadcast from the event, but were unable to watch it despite having working equipment and an adequate Internet connection.

This year, the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection received more than 170 complaints concerning the CLOUT MMA streaming service. The latest pool of complaints was received after October 28^th, when another MMA fight event organised by CLOUT MMA took place. The only place where coverage of the event was published was the official website of its organiser, which could be activated by purchasing access to the site (Pay-Per-View, PPV). Consumers complained that despite making the payment, they did not get access to the event. Those who managed to turn on the broadcast indicated that it was shutting down, it could not be resumed, and there was no audio or video. Users indicated that they were unable to watch the event, despite the fact that they were not experiencing any issues with equipment, connectivity or Internet speed.

Consumer complaints point to technical issues on the part of the organiser, which prevented viewers from gaining access to the purchased service and watching the broadcast from the CLOUT MMA event in real time. This type of issue occurred for the second  time since  the first edition of the event, in August 2023.

UOKiK has initiated a preliminary investigation into services currently being provided by the company operating under the business name Multi Agency Górska, following signals from consumers regarding recurring technical issues that make it difficult or impossible to use purchased services. UOKiK also requested explanations from a company operating under the business name No Limit, which organised the first CLOUT MMA event.

“Live event broadcasts attract many fans. If a business decides to introduce this type of service into its offer, it must have adequate technical infrastructure, which is crucial in the streaming process, so as to be able to provide the declared level of service,” said Tomasz Chróstny, President of UOKiK. “The responsibility for the quality of service and the obligation to provide compensation in the event of technical issues rests with that business,” he added.

According to information received by the Authority, some consumers have also experienced issues with submitting the complaint form. Furthermore, one of the signals was forwarded to the National Tax Administration in connection with a suspicion that a minor was involved in promoting gambling as part of the event.

If the collected material confirms these suspicions, then proceedings will be initiated against specific entities, who will face a penalty in the amount of up to 10% of their revenue.

Tips for consumers

You were unable to watch the event due to broadcast interruptions? File a complaint. You have the right to demand a price reduction or a refund of the fee you paid. We would like to remind you that in individual disputes with businesses, for example in the event of problems with pursuing claims, consumers have the right to seek free legal assistance. In cases concerning companies established in Poland, such support is provided, for example, by consumer ombudsmen, whereas in disputes with businesses from other EU countries and the United Kingdom, Norway and Iceland – the European Consumer Centre operating at UOKiK.

Consumer Support:

Phone: +48 801 440 220 or +48 222 66 76 76 – consumer helpline
E-mail: porady@dlakonsumentow.pl
Consumer Ombudsmen – in your town or district
European Consumer Centre