Notorious illegal sports streaming platform Streameast shut down in major sting operation

The Athletic reports that a United States-based anti-piracy organisation has claimed that Streameast has been shut down after a year-long investigation. The network had over 80 unauthorised domains through which users could watch live sport for free, including matches in the Premier League, the Champions League and the NBA, among others. Over 1.6 billion users are said to have visited Streameast over the last 12 months. 

The operation to "disrupt" Streameast was led by the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment, which is a coalition of multiple streaming services, and Egyptian police. Two men have been arrested in Cairo and detained. Amazinly, LeBron James may have played a role in the shutdown, as he was seen courtside watching an NBA game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks on Streameast.

A separate sting operation, led by La Liga, took place in Argentina this week, with multiple streaming services also disrupted in Latin America amid the ongoing fight against piracy. 

Such is the nature of these services, it is possible that more streaming channels will open up, but they are likely to be chased just as doggedly by law enforcement.