Bodog.com domain seized by Maryland

[The Buzz]

Bodog.com has been seized by the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.

Bodog has been preparing for this for quite some time, so this likely doesn't affect their business much in the short term. The domain name for Bodog had already been switched to Bodog.eu, and U.S. players now access the same software at Bovada.lv.

A response to the action has been posted at CalvinAyre.com.

[brean78]

Well, it seems like a bit of a pointless seizure then if it has little or no effect. Why have they even bothered, just seems a waste of tax payers money.

[AE-Martyn]

probably to prove the size of their wang.

[AFFcoins]

perhaps leading up to something bigger..

[Anthony]

probably to prove the size of their wang.

Yes I agree, it is Maryland after all...

[LuckyLizzy]

Although this thread is about a serious matter. I did get a good laugh after reading AE-Martyn's remark. That definitely does sound about right.

I'm sure Bodog is shrugging their shoulders over this anyhow so it proves nothing at this point.

[AE-Martyn]

it seems big CA has had some friend requests from the feds now too.

[Redbush54]

I assume your referring to this http://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanva...e-calvin-ayre/

[LuckyLizzy]

I just now read this article. Guess it's not something to shrug at after all.

[SlotsAff]

See his response on FB? Quality!

[f1bettings]

This will erode confidence in .com domains if individual states can just steal domains

[TravG]

Yes, this seems totally pointless. Good job Maryland

[Imperator]

Even though it was long awaited news, the world will shrink for Calvin now. It is not just the domain. Since he has been indicted, he will be a wanted man now, meaning it will be hard for him to travel, and if you remember the Absolute poker raids in CR from last year...he might not be safe there either.

[vinism]

GPWA Dan just finished writing this story on the Calvin Ayre indictment and seizure of the Bodog.com domain:

Calvin Ayre indicted, Bodog.com domain seized

28 February 2012

By Dan Igo

Bodog founder Calvin Ayre has been indicted by federal prosecutors in Baltimore and the Bodog.com domain name has been seized by the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.

In the indictment unsealed today, Ayre, James Phillip, David Ferguson and Derrick Maloney are charged with conducting a gambling business as well as money laundering. Rod Rosenstein, the U.S. Attorney in Baltimore, alleges that the defendants "did knowingly and unlawfully conduct finance, manage, supervise, direct, and own all or part of an illegal gambling business, to wit, a gambling business involving online sports betting."

"Sports betting is illegal in Maryland, and federal law prohibits bookmakers from flouting that law simply because they are located outside the country," said Rosenstein. "Many of the harms that underlie gambling prohibitions are exacerbated when the enterprises operate over the internet without regulation."

The indictment alleges that Bodog communicated with two processors to facilitate payments with gamblers. The processors named in the indictment were JBL Services, which allegedly processed at least $43 million, and ZipPayments, which allegedly processed at least $57 million. Money from both those processors was previously seized by the IRS back in 2008.

Ayre responded to the indictments with a statement on his website, CalvinAyre.com.

“I see this as abuse of the U.S. criminal justice system for the commercial gain of large U.S. corporations," he said. "It is clear that the online gaming industry is legal under international law and in the case of these documents is it also clear that the rule of law was not allowed to slow down a rush to try to try to win the war of public opinion."

Visitors who log onto Bodog.com are greeted with a Department of Justice seizure notice similar to the one that was plastered on the homepages of PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, Absolute Poker and UB.com back on April 15, 2011. However, the difference in this notice is that it was issued by the Department of Homeland Security and not the FBI.

The seizure shouldn't affect the short-term business of Bodog. The Bodog.com domain name hasn't been in use since late last year. That domain name had already been switched to Bodog.eu and American players have been able to access Bovada.lv since December. Both of those sites are up and running as of Tuesday morning.

[Anthony]

Even though it was long awaited news, the world will shrink for Calvin now. It is not just the domain. Since he has been indicted, he will be a wanted man now, meaning it will be hard for him to travel, and if you remember the Absolute poker raids in CR from last year...he might not be safe there either.

He will have to be careful for sure. But, I don't think they are going to catch Calvin. He is very smart.

[Imperator]

The Betonsports owner was smart too and he ended up in a federal penitentiary. If he has enough hidden bankroll he might buy his freedom as the PartyPoker owner did, and the PokerStars owners are most likely going to do. We will see how it unfolds.

[lots0]

Calvin has been opening his very fat wallet and spreading his cash all over Canadian politics for the last couple of years...
You can buy a LOT of political and legal cover with a Billion+ Dollars.

Calvin has not broken ANY Canadian laws.... I may be wrong about this, but I don't see Canada giving Calvin to US law enforcement.

[iGamingWriter]

Calvin has not broken ANY Canadian laws.... I may be wrong about this, but I don't see Canada giving Calvin to US law enforcement.

Just as well for him he's not British - it doesn't matter if you've broken no laws here, if the US says your a criminal you'll be shipped off to them!

ThePOGG

[Imperator]

Just as well for him he's not British - it doesn't matter if you've broken no laws here, if the US says your a criminal you'll be shipped off to them!

ThePOGG

Well said. We still haven't seen the actual indictment to see the charges, but if they include money laundering...then he can get extradited from almost any country that has treaties with US.

[lots0]

Just as well for him he's not British - it doesn't matter if you've broken no laws here, if the US says your a criminal you'll be shipped off to them!

ThePOGG

Canada has a long history of telling US Law Enforcement to go "F" themselves.

Lately the mood in Canada towards the US is not all that friendly. The US Government has been doing their best to anger the Canadian Government, so Extradition to the US is not a given, at least in my opinion.

Calvin could always go live with the Mohawks.
The US can't touch him there... lol