The North Carolina-based streaming service hosted thousands of live television channels and a video-on-demand library featuring more than 14,000 titles—all without the consent of the copyright holders. The Motion Picture Association’s Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) announced the shutdown in early August.
The service could be accessed via IOS and Android mobile devices running the IPTV Smarters app. Instructions were available in the member area of the Rare Breed IPTV service. The service could also be installed on devices running Kodi, smart TVs running the SIPTV app. Use of a VPN was optional.
To install the illegal service on MAG streaming set-top boxes, the box user would determine the MAC address for the box and provide it to Rare Breed IPTV, which would then respond with the URL for their service portal.
Rare Breed IPTV had a tiered pricing model, based on the duration of a subscription; ranging from $19.95 for one month to $79.95 for a full year.
Enforcement and settlement
With support from its member studios, ACE identified the individuals behind Rare Breed IPTV and contacted them in North Carolina. Following ACE’s enforcement efforts, the operators agreed to cease their infringing activities, pay financial compensation, and fully cooperate with ACE going forward.
About ACE
ACE is the legal arm of the Motion Picture Association. ACE has achieved many successful global enforcement actions against illegal streaming services and unauthorized content sources and their operators by making criminal referrals, and by conducting civil litigation and cease-and-desist operations.
The current governing board members for ACE are Amazon, Apple TV+, Netflix, Paramount Global, Sony Pictures, Universal Studios, The Walt Disney Studios, and Warner Bros. Discovery. Charles Rivkin is Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association and Chairman of ACE.
More than 50 media and entertainment companies are members of ACE, including movie producers and TV programmers, sports channels and industry associations; backed by the Motion Picture Association’s own content protection operations.
Further reading
ACE shutters North Carolina-based IPTV service. Press release. August 6, 2025. Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE)
Why it matters
“This enforcement action sends a strong message to piracy operators worldwide,” said Larissa Knapp, Executive Vice President and Chief Content Protection Officer of the Motion Picture Association. “Operating an illegal streaming service comes with serious consequences—including lawsuits, substantial financial penalties, and permanent shutdown.”
