The state of Kentucky has been in the news quite often lately as the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet have been trying to block their citizens from accessing online casinos. Officials from the state claim that laws of the state give them the authority to take “illegal gambling devices” and in this instance that includes domain names.

Many of the websites affected are extremely popular online. One of the most recent to be seized was DoylesRoom, which is the website, endorsed by Doyle Brunson, a legend in the poker industry. Officials in Kentucky are trying to seize around 141 online gambling domain names. The GoDaddy website is one of the largest registrars in the world and they have turned over domain names to the Kentucky Commonwealth. Those names include: DoylesRoom, BingoWorkz, SlotsofFortune and USABingo.

A hearing is scheduled for today that has officials asking Franklin County Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate to forfeit control of the gambling websites to the state of Kentucky. IMEGA will be appearing in court on behalf of many online gambling establishments.

Joe Brennan Jr., the chairman of the Internet Media Entertainment & Gaming Association, stated during a press conference yesterday in Kentucky: "If this (decision) is allowed to stand, it will affect the entire Internet. This can metastasize to other states. What the Governor has done is employed the ultimate weapon, a means of eliminating competition."


- 2008-10-07