PETALING JAYA: Internet service providers in Singapore have been ordered by the country’s High Court to block access to 25 websites that illegally stream English Premier League (EPL) matches following an application from the league’s authority.
According to Channel News Asia (CNA) citing a statement from the EPL, the 25 sites are the most popular among illegal streaming sites. Additional the EPL had also taken several Singaporean telcos to court, last month, for alleged breaches in copyright and designs.
The telcos include M1, MyRepublic, Singtel and ViewQwest.
The EPL in its statement said that the court order was part of its ongoing efforts to tackle illegal streaming throughout Asia.
“The technical method by which the ISPs are required to implement the blocks has been refined, making it harder for the operators of the pirated websites to circumvent them,“ the league was quoted as saying adding that more than 460 domains are now blocked in the island republic.
As one of the most popular sports leagues in the world, the EPL has been coordinating with authorities in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong and Vietnam to crack down on suppliers of illegal Premier League content.
The coordinated actions have resulted in website blocks as well as landmark cases against sellers of illicit streaming devices.
According to the report by the Singaporean media outlet, EPL general counsel Kevin Plumb said the court’s decision showed a continued commitment to protecting intellectual property.
He added that shutting down such pirate sites not only stops illegal activity but helps reduce the risk of fans being scammed.
“We know from recent research that people accessing illegal streaming sites in Singapore are nearly four times more likely to be exposed to a cyber threat than on a mainstream site,“ he was quoted as saying.
The EPL, he added, will continue its collaboration with its broadcast partner StarHub, as well as local authorities and ISPs, to block illegal streams.
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