English Premier League obtains court order to force Singapore ISPs to block 25 illegal football streaming sites
With this, the EPL has successfully blocked access to over 460 domains within Singapore
SINGAPORE — The English Premier League (EPL) has obtained a court order from Singapore's High Court to force internet service providers (ISPs) to block access to 25 websites that unlawfully stream football matches.
In a statement shared with Yahoo Southeast Asia on Thursday (21 March), the Premier League identified these 25 websites as the most popular among illegal streaming sites.
According to the league's statement, it has successfully secured the court order as part of its ongoing action to tackle illegal streaming throughout Asia.
It added that the technical method employed by which the ISPs are required to implement the blocks has been refined, making it difficult for operators of pirated websites to circumvent them.
This latest order brings the total number of blocked domains in Singapore by the Premier League to over 460.
The league has a global anti-piracy programme, which has worked with authorities in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Vietnam over the past year to crackdown on suppliers of illegal Premier League content.
The league added, "Legal action has included website blocks in Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia and landmark cases against sellers of illicit streaming devices in Singapore."
Safeguards fans against scams
Kevin Plumb, the Premier League's general counsel, said the Singapore courts' decision shows "a continued commitment to protecting intellectual property."
He said that besides stopping illegal activity, shutting down such pirate sites also helps reduce the risk of fans falling victim to scams.
Plumb noted recent research indicating that people accessing illegal streaming sites in Singapore are nearly four times more likely to be exposed to a cyber threat compared to mainstream sites.
"We will continue working with our broadcast partner StarHub, as well as local authorities and Internet Service Providers, to block illegal streams and to make fans aware of the dangers associated with these websites," he said.
In 2022, StarHub secured broadcasting rights in Singapore for the EPL, ending a 12-year streak by rival Singtel. The six-year deal started in the 2022-2023 season.
The Premier League recently commissioned a study by cybersecurity expert Professor Paul Watters, revealing that consumers face a 48 per cent chance of encountering a cyber threat on the top 25 illegal streaming sites in Singapore.
The study also highlighted the high-risk nature of advertisements on these websites, which put consumers 3.5 times more at risk of scams than mainstream sites.
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