Premier League games blocked, as Kodi Box arrests are made

THOSE hoping to watch Premier League matches online for free are being met with blank screens and broken links, following a “gaming changing” new High Court order in the ongoing crackdown on Kodi Boxes.

Illegal Premier League streams could be set to become a thing of the past.

Premier League bosses have been granted a new High Court order – which they have branded a “game-changer” in the crackdown on illegal streams viewed online and with illicit set-top boxes, like those powered by Kodi.

Within minutes of the Premier League kicking off last weekend, thousands of those tuned into the illegal streams were suddenly confronted with blank screens.

Following the High Court order, UK Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are required to stop people illegally accessing live streams of matches online.

A similar order was obtained in time for the final two months of the 2016-17 season.

That saw more than 5,000 server IP addresses blocked almost immediately. Each of these servers had previously streamed Premier League content.

According to piracy blog TorrentFreak, a similar number of IP addresses were hit last weekend.

TorrentFreak does note that not all streams were hit and many users were able to watch matches illegally but all signs point to it becoming harder to tune in for free in the future.

The Premier League is working hard to protect the £5.1 billion broadcasting rights paid by Sky and BT Sport.

Both broadcasters offer a comprehensive number of packages for fans looking to watch matches online or on TV.

Director of legal services for the Premier League, Kevin Plumb said: “This blocking order is a game-changer in our efforts to tackle the supply and use of illicit streams of our content.

“It will allow us to quickly and effectively block and disrupt the illegal broadcast of Premier League football via any means, including so called ‘pre-loaded Kodi boxes’.

“The protection of our copyright, and the investment made by our broadcast partners, is hugely important to the Premier League and the future health of English football.”

he news follows a recent Express.co.uk survey that revealed most people turned to Kodi Boxes and illegal online streaming because of the high prices of television services, like BT and Sky TV.

Almost 6,000 people took part in the online survey, which found that almost two-thirds of respondents (58 per cent) streamed content on Kodi because “Sky and BT TV have become too expensive”.

The findings of the survey echo a number of comments on eBay listings for Kodi Boxes.

One eBay user posted that buying an illicit streaming device had helped to "replace a well known TV company”.

Another gloated that it meant "No more Sky TV!!" – suggesting they used the Kodi Box to gain access to premium content without taking out a subscription with Sky.

Kodi is a neutral media player that can be installed on a wide range of desktop computers, servers, smartphones, HDMI streaming devices.

The media player is capable of streaming content from the internet, a home network or local HDD storage.

The open-source software itself is perfectly legal, however, it does allow users to install additional apps that can enable access to copyrighted material – uploaded, shared or streamed from other users across the globe – without permission from the rightsholders.

Ready-made streaming set-top boxes, running on hardware from a variety of different manufacturers and preloaded with third-party add-ons that enable access to pirate content, are colloquially known as Kodi Boxes.

A number of arrests have already been made in the ongoing crackdown on so-called Kodi Boxes.

Police arrested a 53 year-old man and seized a stash of some 40 Android-powered set-top boxes preloaded with the Kodi media plater and other third-party software back in July.

A man was arrested and the so-called Kodi Boxes were taken away. The devices were being sold online for some £100 per unit.

According to Westminster Council, an investigation had revealed that the set-top boxes were preloaded with third-party Kodi add-ons that allowed owners to stream copyrighted content, including premium television channels, movies and sport, for free.

Earlier in the month, Derbyshire Police executed a warrant at a property in Derby as part of its ongoing crackdown on devices that enable viewers to illegally stream subscription services.

The warrant was obtained as part of a joint investigation with anti-piracy body FACT.

A large amount of cash was seized during the warrant, along with various pieces of electronic equipment.

A 29-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of fraud, money laundering and copyright offences and has been released under investigation while inquiries continue.

Speaking at the time, FACT CEO Kieron Sharp said: “This collaboration between Derbyshire police and FACT is another step forward in disrupting the sale of illegal streaming devices.

“People may think there is nothing wrong with having one of these devices and streaming premium pay-for channels for free, such as live sports.

“However this is illegal and you would be breaking the law.

“Don’t be fooled by devices that offer you the latest Hollywood films and premium pay-for-view sports for no charge.

“If you want to watch this kind of content we strongly advise you go directly to the official provider to ensure you don’t fall foul of the law.”