Amazon has issued a fresh warning to people using illegal Fire Sticks to watch Premier League football.
The rise in subscription costs for Sky Sports and TNT Sports has pushed many viewers towards IPTV services and jailbroken devices.
Illegal Fire Sticks often provide access to live football, including 3pm kick-offs that cannot be shown in the UK.
They also offer movies and TV channels at a fraction of the original price. However, the authorities are stepping up their response.
Recently, a man from Liverpool received a three-year prison sentence for selling illegal Fire Sticks. He used Facebook and word-of-mouth to move the devices.
His own use of the hacked equipment was treated as a criminal offence as well.
In another case, a man from Lebanon got a 11-month sentence for providing illegal Premier League streams. He was also ordered to pay £69,000 in damages.
Now Amazon is taking direct action too. The company is blocking apps that allow users to watch pirated content on Fire TV Sticks.
This clampdown affects both older devices and newer models. It has already begun in France and Germany, with a global rollout set to follow in the coming weeks.
Furthermore, Amazon says its new Fire TV Stick 4K Select is built with stronger security. The device uses Linux instead of the easily modified Android system.
Also, users can only download apps from the Amazon store, which prevents them from adding illegal streaming platforms through side-loading.
An Amazon spokesperson told The Athletic that piracy is illegal and dangerous. They warned that illegal apps can expose users to malware, viruses and fraud.
The Premier League, Sky and FACT continue to work with law enforcement to crack down on offenders.
And Amazon’s move signals a major new phase in the fight against illegal streaming.
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