📰 New article from TorrentFreak
As US Trade Pressure Mounts, Vietnam Prepares to Prosecute 74 ‘Xoi Lac’ Sports Pirates
If you’ve ever watched a Premier League match via a shady, free-to-air stream in Vietnam, you’ve probably encountered the “Xoi Lac” empire. It was the ultimate digital workaround: high-energy commentary, zero subscription fees, and a constant game of cat-and-mouse with domain blockers.
But the party is officially over. Vietnamese authorities are moving to prosecute 74 people involved in a massive piracy network that operated sites like XoilacTV and 90PhutTV. This wasn’t just a group of hobbyists; it was a professional operation. The crew included programmers, server managers, and even a stable of “celebrity” commentators using superhero aliases like “Batman” and “Scarecrow.”
The real kicker? The money. While copyright infringement carries relatively light sentences, the authorities are leaning hard on the gambling angle. Because the sites were flooded with illegal betting ads, defendants could face up to 10 years in prison for organizing gambling.
This crackdown isn’t just local drama, either. It’s a high-stakes diplomatic dance. With the U.S. threatening tariffs due to intellectual property concerns, Vietnam is using these massive takedowns to prove to Washington that they are finally getting serious about protecting global copyrights.