The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) and DAZN have collaborated to shut down Photocall, a significant piracy operation based in Spain. Photocall illegally restreamed live TV channels and amassed over 26 million visits in the last year. This illicit service offered unauthorized access to 1,127 TV channels from 60 countries, including those broadcasting premium live sports.
Data reveals that nearly 30% of Photocall’s traffic originated from Spain, with Mexico contributing over 13%. Germany, Italy, and the US each accounted for approximately 6% of the visits. A joint investigation by ACE and DAZN led to the identification of the operator in Spain, culminating in a settlement that mandated the site's immediate closure.
DAZN Iberia CEO Oscar Vilda emphasized that this action helped “safeguard the value” of rights and shield fans from malware and fraud often associated with illegal services. MPA executive vice president and chief content protection officer Larissa Knapp stated that ACE will relentlessly pursue illicit live streaming operations to protect rights-holders and legitimate services.
While Photocall didn’t host DAZN’s own channels, it illegally redistributed feeds from several of DAZN's rights partners. These included MotoGP, Formula 1, Serie A, the NFL, the NHL, and the WTA, in addition to club channels like Real Madrid TV, Barça TV, and Betis TV.