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A hearing to determine whether the commonwealth of Kentucky will be able to seize up to 141 online gambling domains has been put off until Friday at 3:30 pm, Gambling911.com has learned.
Kentucky received court permission to seize 141 gambling Web sites' domain names as it tries to put them out of business there. Gov. Steve Beshear (D) said at a press conference that the gambling-friendly state is taking "unprecedented action" against sites that "siphon off money from regulated and legal games," such as the state lottery and thoroughbred racing. Kentucky has lost "tens of millions" to unlicensed gambling, he said. Franklin
County Judge Thomas Wingate ordered the domains transferred to Kentucky, "an important first step" in keeping Kentuckians from accessing the sites and forcing sites to pay damages, Beshear said.
The Interactive Media Entertainment & Gaming Association (iMEGA.org), which was granted legal standing as a trade organization to represent online gambling interests last spring, will be the only entity challenging the matter on Friday.
A review of documents shows that the commonwealth was prepared to take similar actions against hundreds of other online gambling, poker, sports book and gaming portal websites that advertise such entities, assuming they were successful in their efforts this week.
Governor Beshear's office has been bombarded by angry citizens both locally and throughout the nation, questioning why this was done via sealed case file.
The Internet Commerce Organization has also partnered up with iMEGA.org. Dozens of tech-related websites across the Net have linked to Gambling911.com's coverage on this matter, taking down the website in the process.
Bloodhorse.com was also covering the hearing as protection of the state‘s pivotal Kentucky Derby has taken center stage in this matter.
