Online Gambling Domain Name Seizures Has Internet on Edge
News that the state of Kentucky was looking to seize 141 online gambling related domain names had everyone across the Internet wondering "Who's going to be next?".
Kentucky's pro-gambling governor is looking to make sure all bets are off for these Web sites that operate in the state that's home to the world's biggest horse race, that being the Kentucky Derby. That race is the single most bet on event after the Super Bowl and nearly rivals it.
Gov. Steve Beshear says his administration is asking a Franklin County Circuit Court judge to give the state control of 141 gambling Web sites. Beshear says he's looking to restrict access to Web sites with names such as desperatehousewivesbingo.com or reeferpoker.com.
Kentucky Justice Secretary J. Michael Brown says the state has already seized the domain names and is seeking forfeiture. However, most of the websites named were live at press time Monday evening.
A hearing is scheduled for Thursday before Judge Thomas Wingate.
Point-Spreads.com first broke the story early Monday afternoon and published the Kentucky complaint which hardly spares any of the big names in online gambling. Many of the major online poker room domains including FullTiltPoker.com and PokerStars.com were on the list.
Gambling911.com was awaiting comment from iMEGA.org. Founder Joe Brennan, Jr. was en route to Europe Monday and attorneys for the trade organization were reviewing this matter.
Brennan, Jr. was likely to go from outcast of the European I-Gaming Congress and Expo in Barcelona to the most sought out figure as European gaming operators feared how this latest development would impact their businesses as they have fought to enter back into the US market via a European Union complaint.
As Point-Spreads.com correctly pointed out, any online gambling related website based in the United States was in danger of being impacted by any decision coming out of Kentucky. But additionally, the Internet community as a whole will be monitoring this situation closely.
----
Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher
