The Casino Affiliate Programs Euro 2008 event in Barcelona event is currently ongoing. The buzz of the convention has surrounded the developments on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. In Kentucky, Governor Steve Beshear is trying to rid the state of internet gambling by seizing control of 141 domains associated with internet gambling. Those affected include sites such as PokerStars, Bodog, Absolute Poker, Ultimate Bet, and Cake Poker. His actions are, in part, designed to protect the state’s core gaming outlet, horse racing. A Judge in the case granted a continuance on Friday.
Several rooms that would have been affected have confirmed to Poker News Daily that contingency plans were in place in a case a forfeiture hearing that occurred in Friday in Franklin County, Kentucky was successful. PND has learned that Full Tilt Poker, for example, purchased the domain name fulltilt.com. That domain now forwards to fulltiltpoker.com, which is the site’s main URL. Absolute Poker and Ultimate Bet also had contingency plans in place in the event that their domains were forfeited after a ruling by Judge Thomas Wingate.
The 141 domain names named as part of the case included many of the largest internet gambling sites that currently do business in the United States. They span the entire industry, everything from online Bingo to online poker. On Friday, Judge Wingate granted a continuance in the case. Ed Leyden, President of the Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association, stated in a press release following the judgment, “I have a good feeling about our motion. Judge Wingate is a very straight forward, common sense judge and a thoughtful guy so we are in good hands.”
iMEGA is one of the leading organizations involved in the Kentucky legal action. Others include the Interactive Gaming Council (or IGC) and the Poker Players Alliance (PPA). One of the key focal points by the Commonwealth on Friday concerned whether any organization in the room had standing. In a forfeiture hearing, it’s customary that the owners of the property in question, in this case the internet gambling domain names, would be present.
Each side in the case now has seven days to present briefs. Judge Wingate told the Associated Press that the case was “complex” and will now see arguments from both sides. John Pappas, the Executive Director of the Poker Players Alliance, stated in a press release distributed on Friday, “We will continue to communicate our position with Governor Beshear and other state elected officials through our grassroots network, and we look forward to working with them and other interested parties as this case moves forward.” With the week break in the case, online poker rooms, among others, can now scramble to formulate additional backup plans.
Meanwhile, the buzz of the CAP Euro conference will continue to be the tumultuous legal environment for internet gambling in the United States. Friday’s schedule of events started out with a presentation by Pete Wilson entitled “A Legal Update on iGaming.” In the U.S., Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) introduced HR 6870, the Payments System Protection Act. It was passed out of the House Financial Services Committee two weeks ago. However, with severe financial difficulties in the United States, internet gambling has taken a back seat as the 2008 Congressional session winds to a close.