Kentucky Judge Seizure Order
October 20, 2008
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This is not good news for the players in Kentucky.
A circuit court judge for Franklin County, Ky., modified a seizure order today to allow online gambling companies 30 days to install software blocking Kentucky citizens from access to their sites.
This afternoon Judge Thomas D. Wingate refused to dismiss a case against 141 online gambling domain names being sued by the Commonwealth of Kentucky for offering gambling services to citizens of the commonwealth.
However, he ruled that the defendants have 30 days to demonstrate that they have blocked access to Kentucky from their sites. If the defendants do not comply, the original seizure order will remain in effect, and Kentucky will have the power to take control of the domain names, according to court documents.
Last Thursday, Judge Wingate heard arguments from lawyers and associations representing the online gambling industry in the high-profile case, brought by Kentucky in late August. Judge Wingate ordered the original seizure and forfeiture of the 141 domain names belonging to online gambling sites.
Judge Wingate’s ruling today also took away associational standing from groups like the Interactive Gaming Council and Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association, according to court documents.
The associations from now on, considered ‘friends of the court,’ which means they still file certain motions, but they’re not treated as ‘parties’ and thus cannot seek substantive relief, or do much besides present legal argument, Lawrence G. Walters, an Internet gambling attorney and partner at Weston, Garrou, Walters & Mooney, explained to IGN via telephone.
Mr. Walters, who is representing GoldenPalace.com in the case, said for the domain-name defendants without legal representation, it will be up to them to represent themselves and to show proof that they have blocked access to Kentucky — if they so choose.
Mr. Walters said the real loser in today’s ruling is the plaintiff’s attorneys, who were working on a 25 percent contingency basis and asking for millions of dollars in damages on behalf of Kentucky. Judge Wingate awarded no monetary settlement, and his ruling offers a return of the domain names for free if access by Kentuckians is blocked.
Judge Wingate has scheduled a forfeiture hearing for Nov. 17, following the 30-day deadline given to the operators to block Kentucky.
To read the Judges Opinion and order, copy and paste in web browser:
http://www.igamingnews.com/articles/files/081016KentuckyRuling.pdf
Kentucky Gambling Web Site Case is Proceeding
October 16, 2008
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The Judge in the Kentucky case on seizing 141 websites has today ruled to allow the case to proceed.
Here is this afternoon’s press release!
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) – A Franklin County Circuit Court judge has refused to dismiss a lawsuit seeking to block access to online casinos in Kentucky.
Judge Thomas Wingate said in an order Thursday afternoon that he will hear arguments on Nov. 17 before deciding whether to give Kentucky state government control of the domain names of 140 of the Internet’s most popular gambling Web sites.
Wingate said online casinos that don’t block access to their Web sites in Kentucky could be ordered to forfeit their domain names.
Gov. Steve Beshear’s administration filed the lawsuit. Beshear supports legalizing casino gambling in a state that already allows betting on horse racing, bingo and a state lottery.
http://www.wave3.com/Global/story.asp?S=9190758&nav=menu31_2
Kentucky Ruling Expected this Week
October 13, 2008
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Judge Thomas Wingate heard from all sides on this issue of the seizures of 141 domains last week. After hearing hours of arguments, Wingate said he would render his ruling on Oct. 15th.
John Pappas, the executive director of the Poker Players Alliance stated the Lawyers representing the 141 domains did a very good job of pointing out issues and laws that showed the Commonwealth did not have the authority to do this. He also stated that he believed that there was a sense from the judge that he fully understood the impact of his order.
The PPA says poker should not be included in any of this since it was a game of skill, and not gambling.
Jennifer Brislin, the communications director for the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, which filed the lawsuit on behalf of the government stated: “It was an educational process and good listening session for the judge. We have a very strong case and nothing that happened yesterday did anything to diminish that.”
This weeks ruling should be about these issues. And the Judge may lay out a plan for going forward, We will have to wait and see.
Manila Poker Event for 2009
October 8, 2008
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The Asian Poker Tour is very happy to announce the first Manila Event for 2009. All of you poker fans get your poker faces on and prepare for this exciting event!!
October 8, 2008 (MANILA, PHILIPPINES) – Having made its mark on Asia and players around the world with two highly successful poker events in 2008, the Asian Poker Tour (APT) has announced the first event for its 2009 tournament schedule.
APT Philippines 2009, the Manila leg of next year’s Tour, will be held at the Dusit Thani Manila Hotel in Makati, Philippines, from January 27 to February 1, 2009. Buy-in is set at USD $2,500. Interested parties may contact their local or online poker room for information on scheduled satellites.
This year’s APT Philippines event, held at the same venue last May, attracted 316 poker players from around the world – a number that the APT is looking to surpass at next year’s event. It featured a USD $1,000,000 guaranteed prize pool and had various attractions such as Asia’s first 13-card poker tournament. The main event was won by Australian poker pro David Saab, who walked away with the USD $280,000 top prize.
APT Philippines was followed by an even more successful APT Macau tournament, which was held in late August. The event featured an even bigger guaranteed prize pool of USD $1,500,000 and was won by U.S.-based Yevgeniy Timoshenko.
The Tour will feature at least four major events in 2009. Further announcements regarding this year and next year’s events will be made by the APT next week.
Chris Parker, CEO of the APT, said that the Tour has big plans and that he is looking forward to next year:
“The APT has already held two major events this year – APT Philippines and APT Macau. After consultation with players, online partners, and sponsors, a comprehensive schedule is now being planned for 2009 to successfully meet the needs of all concerned. We are looking forward to enhancing poker’s presence in Asia.”
For more information contact:
Melissa Ross
Lyceum Media for Asian Poker Tour
melissa@lyceummedia.com
I am sure everyone is looking forward to this event. Good Luck to all and most of all have fun!
