Kentucky Judge Ordered Confiscation of 132 Domain Names

**faulkwood** · 22 March 2012, 11:01 pm

Kentucky judge Thomas Wingate has issued a forfeiture order on 132 gambling .com domain names. Some of those named appear to include playersonly.com, pokerhost.com, sbglobal.com, sportsbook.com, sportsinteraction.com, mysportbook.com and linesmaker.com, as well as goldenpalace.com and goldencasino.com.

Full article at http://diamondflushpoker.com/2012/03...-domain-names/

What is the implication for affiliates? Should we be changing our domain names as well? Maybe we should start a poll...

**boczom1** · 22 March 2012, 11:50 pm

what the freak is this sh*t all about ?

and when the heck did the little, unknown state of Kentucky become a world power ... ?

**dfiocch** · 23 March 2012, 6:30 am

Bha...

**reedjholmes** · 23 March 2012, 8:43 am

I think that changing domain names and abandoning .com has to be seriously considered by affiliates, particularly large affiliates who could draw the attention of U.S. lawmen. I just brought this discussion with my bosses, and that was before I saw this thread. Here are a few recent articles in the mainstream media:

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/201...foreign-sites/
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle2377851/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology...on-prosecution

It's really quite shocking this is happening. I love the U.S., but I'm actually starting to get nervous about traveling there. Last time I went down, I was grilled by border agents about what I did for a living, who I worked for, etc. If I told them the names of the websites I manage, would I be denied entry? Would I be arrested?

**Chips** · 23 March 2012, 9:08 am

Morons. Many of the domain names had moved to .eu or other TLD's a long time ago, some are not even in existance (Pitbull Poker...) Here is a link to the filing and page 5 lists the domains affected: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BxNS...rUQ/edit?pli=1

There are ones on there from the 2008 filing too. Many from Fortune Affs are listed and they have used .eu for years, let alone all the MicroGaming sites that have not accepted US players new or old in what? 2 years now??

I hear banjos

**boczom1** · 23 March 2012, 10:08 am

lemme guess, their just gonna confiscate these...and then auction them off next week to help their ailing economy ?

Sportsbook.com ? They can prolly get a 100G's or more just for that.

I think it would enrage a lot of affiliates that just have links on their sites.. (If their intent is to go that route next)

They could make up some bullsht crap tomorrow to confiscate these . "promotion of offshore gambling" or whatever...

meanwhile, New Jersey is about to legalize online gambling.

But of course it's ok, if online gambling is done on U.S. servers.....the offshore guys are the bad, evil ones...that steal & cheat their customers.. But not with U.S. online gambling...we're the good people. (that will cheat and steal from our customers too)

**Imperator** · 23 March 2012, 1:16 pm

Weren't some of these sportsbook domains already seized once in the large sports indictment last year?

**Anthony** · 23 March 2012, 1:23 pm

Originally Posted by Chips

Morons. Many of the domain names had moved to .eu or other TLD's a long time ago, some are not even in existance (Pitbull Poker...) Here is a link to the filing and page 5 lists the domains affected: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BxNS...rUQ/edit?pli=1

There are ones on there from the 2008 filing too. Many from Fortune Affs are listed and they have used .eu for years, let alone all the MicroGaming sites that have not accepted US players new or old in what? 2 years now??

I hear banjos

Exactly! These seizures will not effect the casino's operation. I hear the banjos as well...

**Imperator** · 23 March 2012, 1:29 pm

Shame such good domains will go down the drain... like sportsbook.com and sportsbetting.com, both worth millions, and some of the others are great domains for this business.

**lots0** · 23 March 2012, 4:21 pm

I don't think this is over by a long shot.

This local district judge's decision will almost certainly be challenged in a higher court... and most courts in America are higher than a state district court...
Because of the implications of this decision, I would not be surprised at all to see this go to the US Supreme Court...

But first it will have to go the state appellate court, then there is the state supreme court, then the federal district court, then the federal appellate court.. then the US Supreme Court... Like I said... I don't think this is over by a long shot.

**TravG** · 24 March 2012, 1:07 am

Kentucky trying to flex their muscles. Its all BS, just a headache for us changing links.

**Renee** · 25 March 2012, 6:04 pm

Just a heads up to affs - back in 2008 when kentucky tried to take the domains we changed to a redirect link and have been using it since just in case something like this happened again, so you will not need to change anything on your end (unless you are still using the old referral links that have the casino domain in them - most people should not be using those). The change will be made on our end and will automatically update your links.

Any questions, feel free to email me.
Cheers

**Buddy M** · 25 March 2012, 6:50 pm

Originally Posted by lots0

I don't think this is over by a long shot.

This local district judge's decision will almost certainly be challenged in a higher court... and most courts in America are higher than a state district court...
Because of the implications of this decision, I would not be surprised at all to see this go to the US Supreme Court...

But first it will have to go the state appellate court, then there is the state supreme court, then the federal district court, then the federal appellate court.. then the US Supreme Court... Like I said... I don't think this is over by a long shot.

And don't forget all of our (USA) tax dollars going out the door to fund all of this crap.It's just such B*&% S#%* I can't even stand it N E More.

**DaftDog** · 26 March 2012, 10:22 am

Originally Posted by Anthony

Exactly! These seizures will not effect the casino's operation. I hear the banjos as well...

Are these the banjos you hear?

http://youtu.be/_jBF1dcTlcM

**reedjholmes** · 26 March 2012, 10:30 am

The original poster asked about the implication for affiliates and whether we should be changing our domain names as well.

It's well known that casinos are ahead of the game in this regard.

**beejack** · 27 March 2012, 5:06 am

Originally Posted by Chips

Morons. Many of the domain names had moved to .eu or other TLD's a long time ago, some are not even in existance (Pitbull Poker...) Here is a link to the filing and page 5 lists the domains affected: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BxNS...rUQ/edit?pli=1

There are ones on there from the 2008 filing too. Many from Fortune Affs are listed and they have used .eu for years, let alone all the MicroGaming sites that have not accepted US players new or old in what? 2 years now??

I hear banjos

Thanks for the link! I see some domains I already have to change on my sites before they vanish.

**faulkwood** · 27 March 2012, 2:42 pm

Yes, I know most of the casinos have already since changed theirs. I was more wondering about affiliates.

**JaqiC** · 27 March 2012, 7:28 pm

So this whole business has my head reeling. What authority does any state have to confiscate dot.com domain names? If the state of Kentucky can do this because it impedes their horse racing business, why shouldn't the city of Las Vegas be the next to seize domain names that are impacting their tourist/gambling revenue? How about those casinos who have a dot.com domain name but don't do business with U.S. players?

I know that I sound naive here, but this is wrong on so many levels that it makes me think that I must be missing something.

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