ИСТИНА

This conference paper provides an analysis of the data from annual reports released by streaming service companies in Russia and amendments to Russian legislation affecting the distribution of digital content. Moreover, surveys were conducted to evaluate user sentiments and predict upcoming changes in consumer behavior. It offers an assessment of the current state of the Russian streaming service market: events that determined the market's performance in 2022 and preconditions that allow us to predict future crucial changes in this market in 2023. The results indicate that 2023 will be a year of crisis for streaming in Russia. The market reported growth at the end of 2022, despite declining in the year’s first half. Nevertheless, major negative events, such as the expiration of contracts with content rights holders and, consequently, the loss of products from major studios, have occurred by the end of the first quarter of 2023. Furthermore, all of those factors combined result in an increased demand for the pirated model of digital content consumption to a level comparable to the previous high in 2016.