The President of the Polish competition authority, Tomasz Chróstny, has launched an investigation into the streaming service CLOUT MMA after receiving over 170 complaints from consumers who paid for access to live MMA events but were unable to view them due to technical issues.

Complaints surged after the latest event on October 28, where many users reported that despite having paid for the Pay-Per-View service, they faced problems such as inability to access the stream, interruptions, and lack of audio or video. Consumers indicated that these issues were not due to their own equipment or internet connectivity.

The complaints suggest recurring technical problems on the part of the event organizer, which have hindered viewers from accessing the paid service in real-time. This is not the first occurrence of such issues, as similar problems were reported during the inaugural event in August 2023.

In response to the ongoing consumer complaints regarding these technical difficulties, the President of UOKiK has sought clarifications from Multi Agency Górska, the current service provider, and No Limit, the organizer of the first CLOUT MMA event. Chróstny emphasized that businesses offering live streaming services must have the necessary technical infrastructure to deliver the promised service quality and are responsible for compensating customers in case of service failures.

Additionally, some consumers reported issues with submitting complaint forms, and one signal has been forwarded to the National Revenue Administration due to suspicions of underage participation in gambling promotions during the event. If the investigation confirms these suspicions, further proceedings could be initiated against the involved parties, potentially leading to fines of up to 10% of their turnover.

Consumers who experienced disruptions during the event are advised to file complaints and may seek price reductions or refunds. Legal assistance is available for individual disputes with businesses, including support from consumer advocates and the European Consumer Centre for cross-border issues.