Amazon has announced a major action to combat piracy. Its Fire TV media box, which until now has allowed illegal IPTV streams to be played through various third-party apps, will gradually start blocking those apps. Amazon has not even allowed the installation of similar apps through its official app store until now. However, it was possible to install apps on the device outside of this environment, and so far they have worked normally in this environment.
Amazon has stressed that it does not intend to make it completely impossible to install independent apps, but will block any apps that allow the viewing of illegal streams at the operating system level.
Amazon has gradually started blocking in the UK and German markets, and is expected to extend this measure to the US and other countries in the near future. The next steps in the UK were reported a few days ago by The Sun, which was confirmed directly by Amazon representatives.
“Piracy is illegal and we have always tried to prevent it from spreading in our app store. Through an expanded program led by the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), a global coalition fighting digital piracy, we will now block apps that have been found to provide access to pirated content, including those downloaded outside our app store. This action builds on our ongoing efforts to support creators and protect customers, as piracy can put users at risk of malware, viruses and fraud,”
the company said in a statement to a UK newspaper.
This is the first time Amazon has taken the approach of blocking certain apps on its multimedia device.
Legitimate streaming apps such as Netflix, Disney , Amazon Prime Video, DAZN and others will understandably not be affected by this decision. According to media reports, Amazon will apparently maintain a list of problematic apps that allow unauthorized access to copyrighted content, and then refuse to install or run those apps on the Fire TV device.
Furthermore, this blocking method will ensure that users cannot access illegal content even through a VPN, as the app that allows the illegal stream to be played will itself be blocked.
Source: tvkompas.cz Some of Europe’s biggest sports leagues, broadcasters and live event operators are urging Brussels to introduce new EU rules to tackle real-time piracy of live content, warning that current measures are failing to protect revenues, audiences and public services.
In a joint letter sent to the European Commission in October, 36 organisations – including the Premier League, Serie A, LaLiga, Sky, Canal+, DAZN, Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe, TF1, Disney and RTL – say piracy of live sport, entertainment and cultural events has reached “scales that can no longer be ignored” and is now driven by “organised criminal enterprises”.
The group is calling for binding legislation forcing platforms and intermediaries to take down illegal live streams within 30 minutes of notification, backed by EU-wide “live dynamic blocking orders” that can be used to block mirror sites and new domains as they appear. It also wants tougher ‘know your business customer’ checks on infrastructure providers such as hosting platforms, VPNs, CDNs and app stores, so that large-scale pirate IPTV operations cannot hide behind anonymous registrations.
The companies argue that voluntary efforts and private enforcement have been outpaced by industrialised piracy, particularly around IPTV subscriptions and streaming devices. They cite 2024 data showing that 81% of millions of detected illegal live streams in Europe were never suspended, and that fewer than 3% were removed within 30 minutes of a takedown notice. They say data from the first half of 2025 shows “no improvement”.
They also set out the economic hit. According to the signatories, estimated annual losses to rightsholders are €2.2 billion in Italy, €1.8 billion in Germany and €1.5 billion in France. The letter argues that piracy drains tax revenues and exposes viewers to malware, data theft and inappropriate content – often without parental controls.
The appeal is addressed to Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen and Internal Market Commissioner Glenn Micallef, as the Commission considers its next move after a 2023 Recommendation on combating online piracy of live sports and other events. That Recommendation pushed for faster removals and better coordination but was non-binding. The group says implementation “has yet to deliver tangible results” and is now asking for legislation.
Specifically, they want three measures written into EU law:
- A hard deadline for removals: illegal live streams should be taken down “as near to immediately as is possible and in all cases within a maximum time frame of 30 minutes”, arguing that most of the commercial value of sport and live events is in-the-moment and that faster takedown is technically possible.
- EU-wide dynamic blocking orders, including IP blocking, available in every Member State to act quickly against mirror and successor sites.
- Mandatory and enforced Know Your Business Customer rules for intermediaries.
They are also calling for stricter enforcement of the Digital Services Act, and for national Digital Services Coordinators to grant “Trusted Flagger” status to industry bodies so that pirate streams can be escalated and removed more quickly.
The signatories – spanning football leagues, pan-European competitions, pay TV groups, streaming platforms, venue operators, anti-piracy vendors and unions – frame the issue as more than a pay TV problem. They say live piracy now threatens jobs, grassroots sport investment, production funding and future rights values across Europe, and warn that rightsholders “must not be left to confront the growing threat of live piracy on their own”.
Source: broadbandtvnews.com UEFA has become the first exclusive sports rights-holder to join the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), deepening cross-sector efforts to disrupt illegal live streaming worldwide.
The move positions UEFA and UC3 – the body commercialising UEFA club competition rights – at the forefront of coordinated global enforcement.
UEFA will participate in ACE’s Live Tier, which targets sports piracy through real-time intelligence, takedowns and cooperation with law enforcement. ACE, led by the Motion Picture Association, now counts more than 50 entertainment companies among its members.
Guy-Laurent Epstein, UEFA’s executive director of marketing, said the partnership expands UEFA’s enforcement capabilities and leverages ACE’s tools to disrupt illegal services. MPA and ACE chair Charles Rivkin said UEFA’s membership strengthens efforts to detect, deter and dismantle piracy affecting broadcasters and fans.
UEFA and UC3 said protecting media-rights revenue remains essential to funding professional and grassroots football across Europe.
Source: broadbandtvnews.com Italian authorities have intensified their clampdown on illegal IPTV use, with DAZN, Sky Italia, and Serie A preparing to seek compensation from thousands of viewers identified during recent anti-piracy operations.
More than 2,000 users have now received registered letters from DAZN demanding €500 in damages following a major investigation by the Guardia di Finanza, which uncovered large-scale use of illegal IPTV platforms – known locally as pezzotto – offering access to premium sports and entertainment content for as little as €10 to €15 per month.
The letters, sent on 26 September, invite recipients to settle out of court within seven days or face potential legal action. The approach marks a new phase in Italy’s coordinated crackdown on piracy, shifting enforcement beyond operators and distributors to include end users.
DAZN’s action follows approval from prosecutors in Lecce, who authorised rights holders to access the list of fined users after an earlier nationwide operation identified 2,282 individuals across 80 provinces. The investigation traced more than €500,000 in proceeds from illegal subscriptions, leading to the seizure of properties, cars and cash.
Authorities say the losses to Italy’s economy from audiovisual piracy exceed €2 billion annually, impacting jobs, tax revenue and football club finances.
Broadcast regulator AGCOM Commissioner Massimiliano Capitanio confirmed to local media that Sky Italia and the football leagues are preparing similar measures, calling DAZN’s letters “only the beginning” of broader industry enforcement.
The initial fines issued by authorities start at €154, but repeat offenders face penalties up to €5,000 under Italy’s copyright law, in addition to any civil claims pursued by rights holders.
The original Guardia di Finanza operation, led by Rome’s Special Unit for Goods and Services and the Economic and Financial Police Unit in Lecce, dismantled a network that distributed pirated feeds from DAZN, Sky, Netflix and other pay-TV platforms.
Source: broadbandtvnews.com MultiChoice Zimbabwe has launched a new campaign, DStv ZIMnandi, aimed at curbing cross-border signal piracy and encouraging viewers to switch to locally licensed subscriptions.
Unveiled in Bulawayo, the campaign carries the slogan “Keep it simple, keep it legal. DStv ZIMnandi.” It targets Zimbabwean households using South African DStv accounts — a practice the company says breaches copyright and undermines the domestic broadcasting sector.
As part of the initiative, MultiChoice is offering incentives for customers to migrate to legal Zimbabwean accounts, including a waiver of reconnection fees and expanded payment options through local agents, banks and mobile money platforms such as EcoCash and Mukuru.
The operator says subscribing locally helps fund national content creation and supports Zimbabwe’s television ecosystem by ensuring revenues stay within the country.
DStv ZIMnandi is being rolled out as a multi-channel media campaign, with radio, outdoor and digital promotion across Zimbabwe.
The move forms part of a wider anti-piracy push across southern Africa as MultiChoice seeks to protect its subscription base and clamp down on unauthorised account sharing and illegal IPTV services.
Source: broadbandtvnews.com Thai authorities have closed one of the country’s most prominent pirate IPTV networks following raids in Bangkok and Nonthaburi.
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI), supported by the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) and local member True Visions, moved against INWIPTV—previously known as FWIPTV—which has been operating since 2012. The service charged around 300 baht (€7.60) a month for access to international and Thai content, including live sports and adult programming.
Coordinated search operations took place across six locations on September 21. Twelve employees were questioned, and more than 150 items of evidence were seized, including 46 servers, transmission equipment, storage devices, financial records and IPTV boxes.
“We commend the DSI for their decisive action in Operation DEV Shutdown against a key IPTV target in Thailand,” said Larissa Knapp, Executive Vice President and Chief Content Protection Officer for the MPA. “The case is testament to the power of our strategic partnerships with local law enforcement and our local ACE member True Visions.”
Sompan Charumilinda, Executive Vice Chairman of True Visions, added:
“By shutting down piracy services, we not only protect Thai youth and communities from harm but also support the country’s creative economy. These results are possible thanks to the strong cooperation we have received from both Thai authorities and global organizations like ACE.”
ACE said the closure demonstrates the effectiveness of local and international enforcement partnerships in tackling piracy across Asia.
Source: broadbandtvnews.com The Swedish government is preparing legislation that would make it an offence for consumers to use illegal IPTV services, extending current rules that primarily target distributors.
According to Swedish press reports, an inquiry commissioned by the Ministry of Culture recommends fines for private individuals who stream unlicensed content, alongside tougher penalties of up to six years’ imprisonment for operators of pirate services. The law could enter into force on 1 July 2026.
Writing in Svenska Dagbladet, government-appointed investigator Eva Bergquist wrote it is “almost impossible” to stop piracy at the source.
The move reflects the growing scale of the problem in Sweden. Estimates suggest that more than 700,000 households – around 15 per cent of the population – are using illegal IPTV, representing an annual revenue loss of SEK 1–1.5 billion for broadcasters and rights holders.
Investigators argue that because service providers often operate anonymously and from abroad, enforcement should also focus on end-users. Technical measures under consideration include live blocking of illegal streams, domain blocking and removal of pirate services from search results.
The initiative has been welcomed by broadcasters with a rise in the shareprice of local streaming service Viaplay.
Legal IPTV cases have already reached Swedish courts. Earlier this year, an individual was ordered to pay SEK 2.7 million in damages for operating an unlicensed service, while another now faces trial accused of selling subscriptions worth SEK 9 million.
The proposal will now go to government for consultation before being presented to parliament.
Source: broadbandtvnews.com Italian authorities have dismantled a large-scale digital piracy network in an operation coordinated by prosecutors in Catania, resulting in eight arrests and exposing more than 900,000 users nationwide.
The blitz, codenamed Gotha 2, was carried out by the Catania Public Prosecutor’s Office alongside the Postal Police and national cybersecurity teams. It targeted a highly structured organisation accused of distributing illegal IPTV services, reselling access to protected platforms, and committing large-scale computer fraud. The suspects, based in provinces including Catania, Siracusa, Rome and Brescia, have been placed under house arrest.
Investigators estimate the network generated around €10 million in annual profits, with damages to rights holders exceeding €30 million. Authorities believe the action disrupted up to 70% of illegal streaming traffic in Italy, affecting services including DAZN, Sky, Mediaset, Netflix and Prime Video.
Prosecutors have signalled that attention will now also turn to end users, whose identities were traced during the investigation. Those who purchased “pezzotto” subscriptions could face civil or criminal proceedings as the authorities seek to quantify damages and dismantle the consumer base.
The crackdown highlights the industrial scale of piracy in Italy, where organised groups of “masters”, “admins” and “resellers” operate nationwide. It also reflects the growing determination of rights holders and law enforcement to push enforcement beyond providers and towards consumers themselves.
Source: broadbandtvnews.com An elderly couple from Bavaria is standing trial in Landshut, accused of orchestrating a large-scale piracy scheme that allegedly defrauded pay-TV operator Sky Deutschland of more than €4.4 million.
According to a report by German newspaper BILD, Sergej M. (68), an electromechanic, and his wife Valentina (70), a shop assistant, are charged with serious joint computer fraud in 4,611 cases. Between 2014 and 2019, the pair are said to have sold hundreds of manipulated satellite receivers from their small electronics shop, allowing customers to access Sky’s full pay-TV offering without a valid subscription.
The set-top boxes – referred to in court as “Russian receivers” – were modified Octagon boxes. Prosecutors allege the couple sold 1,755 of these hacked devices for around €250 each, earning more than €500,000 in revenue. In addition, they reportedly charged customers €50 for regular software updates, with the manipulated devices enabling savings of around €79.99 per month in subscription fees.
In total, prosecutors estimate that Sky suffered damages of approximately €4.426 million as a result of the illegal sales and software manipulations.
A Sky spokesperson told BILD:
“Sky takes piracy very seriously. We systematically analyse illegal offers and regularly initiate criminal proceedings against illegal providers. We also file criminal charges ourselves against users.”
The company declined to quantify its annual losses from piracy but noted that “the number of investigations has increased significantly in recent years.”
According to Süddeutsche Zeitung, the receivers not only allowed unauthorised access to Sky’s full line-up of films, series and sports, but also opened up additional subscription services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Magenta Sport and foreign channels. Customers reportedly paid up to €40 more for this extended access. The newspaper reports that the receives were accessing a so-called card sharing server in the Netherlands, which decrypted Sky’s codes and transmitted them to the devices.
At the opening of the trial before the Landshut regional court, the defendants chose not to comment on the charges. However, so-called exploratory talks took place, raising the possibility of a reduced sentence should the couple decide to confess. The court has scheduled 26 further hearing days, with investigators, customers and Sky employees called to testify.
Source: broadbandtvnews.com FACT (Federation Against Copyright Theft) and its partners have conducted an enforcement operation addressing Irish retail outlets involved in providing access to illegal TV streaming services.
FACT teams, together with Sky, delivered legal notices to 15 shops and resellers across nine counties: Kerry, Louth, Laois, Mayo, Donegal, Kilkenny, Wexford, Meath, and Cavan.
The targeted businesses were identified as either selling subscriptions to illegal streaming services, supplying devices set up for such access, or connecting customers to resellers via phone numbers or advertising materials. Each has been given a deadline to cease these actions or potentially face further measures. The majority have responded to the notices and agreed to stop these activities.
This operation marks the first direct focus on retail outlets by enforcement teams, reflecting the role these stores play in consumer access to illegal streaming at a local level.
Kieron Sharp, Chairman of FACT, commented: “This operation shows that we are actively targeting every link in the illegal streaming supply chain. When shop owners sell illegal streaming devices, subscriptions or act as referral points to providers, they are supporting criminal organisations and generating criminal profits. FACT will continue to work with partners to identify, disrupt and shut down this activity across Ireland.”
JD Buckley CEO Sky Ireland said: “Illegal streaming puts consumers at real risk of online harms including fraud and identity theft while draining money away from the creative industries that invest in the shows and sports people love.” He added that Sky aims to protect its customers and uphold content production standards, and that collaboration with FACT serves to stop unauthorised activity through various channels.
The action follows other enforcement measures against illegal streaming services in Ireland. Last month, David Dunbar from County Wexford was ordered to pay €480,000 (£417,259) in damages to Sky and received a permanent injunction preventing future involvement with IPTV after a High Court case.
Since March 2023, nearly 70 illegal services in Ireland have closed following actions by FACT and associates, and tens of thousands of unauthorised streams have been disrupted.
Source: broadbandtvnews.com