When Italy launched its Piracy Shield system in early 2024, it was hailed as one of the toughest anti-piracy measures ever introduced. Designed to combat illegal IPTV services and pirate live streams, particularly those showing live football, the system gives authorities the power to order internet service providers (ISPs) to block access to offending websites and servers within just 30 minutes.

More than two years on, has it actually worked?

The answer depends on how success is measured.

A Powerful Blocking System

Piracy Shield was created following pressure from sports broadcasters and rights holders who argued that illegal IPTV services were costing the industry hundreds of millions of euros each year.

Unlike traditional court orders that could take weeks or months, Piracy Shield allows Italy’s communications regulator, AGCOM, to issue rapid blocking requests during live events. ISPs must comply quickly, preventing access to websites, streaming domains and even IP addresses used to distribute illegal broadcasts.

Since its launch, the platform has blocked tens of thousands of domains and thousands of IP addresses. Public pirate streaming websites have found themselves constantly moving to new domains and hosting providers in an attempt to stay online.

For casual users searching for free football streams, many of the better-known websites have become increasingly difficult to access from within Italy.

Pirates Continue to Adapt

However, blocking websites is only part of the battle.

Professional IPTV operators have adapted remarkably quickly. Many now rotate domains regularly, move between hosting providers, or distribute access through private apps and messaging platforms rather than public websites.

Some services maintain multiple backup servers that can be activated within minutes if one is blocked.

In other words, Piracy Shield has increased the operating costs and complexity for pirate services, but it hasn’t eliminated them.

This “cat and mouse” game has been a feature of internet piracy for decades, and Italy is proving no exception.

Has Piracy Actually Fallen?

This is where opinions begin to differ.

Industry organisations point to surveys suggesting that fewer Italians are now accessing illegal streams than before Piracy Shield was introduced. They argue that the increased difficulty of finding reliable pirate streams has encouraged some viewers to return to legitimate services.

However, independent observers note that there has been little evidence of a dramatic increase in subscriptions to legal streaming platforms that would match the claimed reduction in piracy.

Some former pirate users may have subscribed legally, while others may simply watch less sport, share subscriptions with friends, or find alternative methods of accessing illegal content.

Website blocking alone cannot change consumer behaviour if viewers still believe legitimate services are too expensive or fragmented across multiple subscriptions.

Collateral Damage

One of the biggest criticisms of Piracy Shield has been the risk of blocking legitimate services.

Because many websites share servers or cloud infrastructure, blocking an IP address can sometimes affect completely unrelated websites.

One high-profile incident temporarily disrupted access to Google services after an incorrect block was issued, prompting criticism from internet infrastructure companies and digital rights groups.

Supporters argue that occasional mistakes are inevitable when trying to stop live piracy within minutes, while critics believe stronger safeguards and greater transparency are needed.

Could Other Countries Follow?

Italy’s approach is being closely watched across Europe.

Sports broadcasters in several countries have long argued that existing legal processes are simply too slow to deal with live piracy. Once a football match has finished, blocking the stream hours later achieves very little.

If Piracy Shield is ultimately viewed as a success, similar systems could appear elsewhere, potentially including the UK.

However, any future systems are likely to face the same challenges seen in Italy: balancing rapid enforcement with protecting legitimate websites and ensuring internet users are not caught up in accidental blocking.

The Verdict

Piracy Shield has undoubtedly made life more difficult for illegal IPTV providers.

Large public streaming websites now disappear far more quickly, domains change constantly, and operators face increasing technical challenges in keeping services online.

But the evidence also suggests that piracy itself has not disappeared. Instead, many operators have become more sophisticated, while users continue to seek alternative ways of accessing illegal content.

As with previous anti-piracy efforts, technology alone is unlikely to solve the problem. Long-term success will probably depend on offering consumers affordable, accessible legal alternatives alongside effective enforcement.

For now, Italy has demonstrated that rapid website blocking can disrupt piracy, but whether it can truly defeat it remains an open question.