Anti-Piracy Crackdown Intensifies: How BREIN is Targeting Illegal IPTV in 2025
Table of Contents
In June 2025, the Dutch anti-piracy group BREIN escalated its efforts under new leadership. Here’s a comprehensive look at how this affects the IPTV community, and what users and providers should know.
1. 🔨 A New Era in Enforcement
- Leadership changes: In late 2024, Bastiaan van Ramshorst replaced Tim Kuik as BREIN’s director, marking a strategic shift in operations.
- Expanded authority: The Dutch Fiscal Police (FIOD) now officially sees IPTV piracy as a top priority, with larger budgets and faster enforcement.
Read more on BREIN’s mission here.
2. 🚫 Domains & ISPs Under Pressure
- Blocklist surge: BREIN added 525 IPTV-related domains to ISP blocklists, pushing the total past 574.
- Search engine support: Google helped delist these domains and removed IPTV-related ad content.
- Real-time blocks: ISPs in the Netherlands and UK now apply instant domain/IP blocks on detected services.
3. ⚖️ Criminal Referrals & Offline Raids
- Raids and referrals: BREIN filed multiple criminal cases, leading to home/business raids. Arrests expected later this year.
- Marketplace crackdowns: In Beverwijk Bazaar (Amsterdam), two IPTV vendors lost rental rights and paid heavy fines in late 2024.
4. 🌍 International Collaboration
- Working with Europol & Eurojust: BREIN is now part of a broader European coalition to tackle IPTV piracy.
- Redirect seizures: Seized domains like iptvgo.eu now reroute to legal awareness landing pages.
5. 📊 Impact at a Glance
| Metric | 2024 Figures |
|---|---|
| Investigations completed | 339 (179 extensive) |
| Settlements & “knock & talks” | 40+ |
| Blocklisted domain count | 574 |
| Criminal referrals | Active & increasing |
🎯 What This Means for IPTV Users & Providers
✅ For End Users
- IPTV services may go offline suddenly due to legal action.
- Always choose licensed, reputable IPTV providers.
- VPNs protect privacy, but don’t legalize illegal IPTV.
🧩 For IPTV Providers
- Avoid sketchy domains; they get blocked fast.
- Operate legally by securing distribution rights.
- Be transparent with pricing and content licensing.
🔒 Final Thoughts
BREIN’s crackdown marks a turning point in IPTV enforcement. With aggressive legal, technical, and collaborative efforts, unlicensed IPTV is riskier than ever in 2025. The only sustainable way forward is to embrace fully licensed IPTV services.
📰 For more IPTV insights and safety tips, follow iptvupdates.com.
