That last quote:
Time-Warner CEO Jeffrey Bewkes, who oversees HBO, echoed Lombardo’s sentiment in an earnings call later that year, saying that being the most pirated show in the world was better than winning an Emmy.
That says a lot for why HBO would look closely at pirating. Emmys don't give money to studios, its people watching and consuming the content. Those are the same people that gets hooked on the series, then buys memorabilia and DVD's and games and other things the studio license out their content to. Ultimately, while GoT is the most pirated series ever, that fact hasn't made a dent in the income they can generate from the license. While they will never condone pirating, its an interesting gauge for the interest and hype of the show.