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In a shocking development, DoylesRoom.com has become the latest victim of the Kentucky commonwealth's efforts to seize some 141 online gambling domain names.
GoDaddy.com, one of the largest registrars in the world turned over to the commonwealth the domain names USABingo.com, SlotsofFortune.com, BingoWorkz.com and DoylesRoom.com.
The Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet has been attempting to block Kentuckians' access to online casinos, including some of the most popular in the world. State officials claim state law gives them authority to take "illegal gambling devices," in this case domain names.
Kentucky officials have asked Franklin County Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate to forfeit control of 141 gambling Web sites to the state. A hearing in the case is scheduled for Tuesday.
Groups opposed to Gov. Steve Beshear's ongoing civil lawsuit that sought control of selected Internet domains believed they had a strong argument against such efforts.
"If this (decision) is allowed to stand, it will affect the entire Internet," Joe Brennan Jr., chairman of the Internet Media Entertainment & Gaming Association, stated during a press conference in Frankfort, Kentucky on Monday. "This can metastasize to other states. What the Governor has done is employed the ultimate weapon, a means of eliminating competition."
But by 5 pm EST Monday evening, the prosecuting attorneys had notified the Internet Media Entertainment & Gaming Association that GoDaddy turned over the court certificate of these websites.
IMEGA will be appearing in court on Tuesday on behalf of several online gambling establishments.
Gambling911.com will be at the hearing Tuesday. Readers are advised to register on the site to ensure they are getting live updates (hour delays are being reported for those readers not logged in).
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Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher
