As earlier predicted, the Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear has already successfully seized at least one online gambling domain name called LuckyPyramidCasino.com. A check of the WHOIS information for this domain name shows that Eric Lycan from the Commonwealth of Kentucky Justice Cabinet is the new administrative contact. The popular registrar ENOM apparently allowed the transfer of the domain name to the state of Kentucky this morning after receiving a order of seizure from a Kentucky judge.
Several top brands that are in jeopardy include GoldenPalace.com, WSEX.com, SportsBetting.com, FullTiltPoker.com, PokerStars.com CakePoker.com, DoylesRoom.com and several others. Point-Spreads.com broke the news about Kentucky’s effort to steal online gambling domain names yesterday morning and the industry has had little time to react to the news since most of the top executives are en route to Barcelona for a EiG’s annual internet gambling conference.
"If that is not a clear case of abuse of power, I don't know what one is," Joe Brennan, Jr. founder of iMEGA, said. The Interactive Media Entertainment & Gaming Association was founded to foster cooperation between the online industry and government at all levels, and to promote innovation, openness and freedom on the Internet.
Point-Spreads.com was able to catch up via email with one online gambling operation that had this to say, "I don't think this has anything to do with ICANN….the registrars that are all part of ICANN all got direct letters from the judge and have voluntarily followed the order…the order is against the registrars only as far as I can see. I think all US registered domains are toast….a few other international registrars will also hand the domains over. Some will not….it is very unlikely that our registrar will comply with this order….or even respond to it. This is going to really shake up the industry and global eCommerce….nobody is going to want to build a business of any sort on the net with US ties.”
Companies that hold the online gambling domain names are currently unable to transfer registrars and ownership. Point-Spreads.com believes more successful seizures will take place this week if not today and we will continue to monitor this situation for readers.
Get a complete list of the online gambling domain names effected by the Kentucky seizure order here.
