FRANKFORT, Ky. -- Gov. Steve Beshear announced yesterday that he is trying to shut down illegal Internet gambling in Kentucky, though some industry experts say his chances of success aren't good.

Beshear said at a news conference that illegal and unregulated gambling Web sites -- many of which operate from other countries -- are "leeches on our communities" and unfairly undermine Kentucky's horse-racing industry.

In what he called a potentially groundbreaking case, Beshear said he filed a civil suit last week in Franklin Circuit Court against 141 Internet domain names, such as pokerstars.com and fulltiltpoker.com.

The governor said Kentucky law allows the state to seize devices used in illegal gambling -- in this case, the domain names.

According to Beshear, the suit asks the court to force the sites to block access by Kentucky users or relinquish control of their domain names.

After the suit was filed, the administration received an order from Franklin Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate requiring the immediate transfer of the domain names to the state. After the state's suit was filed, Wingate sealed it for undisclosed reasons, said Beshear spokesman Jay Blanton.

Wingate scheduled a hearing for Thursday on whether the domain names must be forfeited to the state.

By seizing those Internet names, the Beshear administration said, the state can require the casino operators to block their sites from being accessed in Kentucky.

But David Stewart, a Washington, D.C., attorney who is an expert in gambling law, doubted that Beshear's strategy will work.

"This is -- forgive me for being blunt -- a stunt," Stewart said.

Other states, such as New York, have tried to prosecute operators of illegal gambling sites to little avail, he said.

Jim Quinn, chief operating officer of the Off Shore Gaming Association, said going after domain names would be a new approach to cracking down on Internet gambling.

Quinn said his association is a Philadelphia-based for-profit company that serves as a "watchdog" over the off-shore sports book, casino and poker industry to provide the public with information if they choose to wager online.

He said it might be possible to seize the domain names if it can be proven that Kentuckians are participating in illegal gambling. But he added that the gambling companies likely would simply set up new domain names.

"You are going to have to spend time, money and energy to go after these companies, and what would really be the end-benefit to anybody?" Quinn said.

Kentucky's approach is to try to compel companies that set up the domain names -- known as registrars -- to alert the owners that they have received a valid court order requiring the names to be transferred to the state, Blanton said.

If that were to happen, the state could prevent Kentucky Internet users from accessing the sites and, possibly, end the use of the names completely, he said.

Beshear said Kentucky's law is unique in allowing the state to seize illegal gambling devices. Beshear said Kentuckians likely spend "tens of millions of dollars" on illegal Internet gambling sites each year -- money that might otherwise go to Kentucky's horse tracks, charitable events and the state lottery.

Beshear campaigned last year on a pledge to push for expanded gambling, and during this year's regular legislative session he proposed a measure to allow up to 12 casinos in the state. The bill failed without coming to a vote in either the House or Senate.

Asked whether it is morally dubious to condemn one form of gambling while condoning others, Beshear said he is going after online gambling because it is not regulated by the state or federal government.

He said the sites could be preying on youths, not paying gamblers their winnings and even funneling money to terrorist organizations.

"This is a threat to national security," he said.

Asked whether he'd consider legalizing and regulating Internet gambling, Beshear initially said the state might take that approach in the future.

The administration later issued a clarification, saying that Beshear has no intention of pursuing Internet gambling as an option in Kentucky.

In 2006, Congress reined in some Internet gambling by going after banks and other financial institutions, prohibiting them from transferring money to and from illegal gambling operations.

But because most of the Internet gambling operations are based in foreign countries, it is difficult to eliminate them, Stewart said.

Reporter Stephenie Steitzer can be reached at (502) 875-5136.

Fuck My Life,....Breshear is such a fucking douche nozzle

maybe pokerstars should buy kentucky and fire state officials

anybody need a roomate???? this happens my ass is gone 4 sure!

He's looking for a 7 figure payoff imo

 

Originally Posted by RGC2005

He said the sites could be preying on youths, not paying gamblers their winnings and even funneling money to terrorist organizations.

BUGSY CLUB won't pay me!!!!!!!!!! They say people are stealing checks from the mail on there way to the United States. It's probably the damn terrorist organizations. Kill em BUSH, so I can get my check.

Beshear said Kentucky's law is unique in allowing the state to seize illegal gambling devices. Beshear said Kentuckians likely spend "tens of millions of dollars" on illegal Internet gambling sites each year -- money that might otherwise go to Kentucky's horse tracks, charitable events and the state lottery

ha ha, u can only gamble in my casino's kids, i gots the monopoly round heres

Why so you can continue pwning $22 180 mans lol

fuk this....

the last govenor was my cousin.. hahaha

if he was still in i could have put a good word in for pokerstars..

sorry guys.

I feel sorry for all U.S. players, with people like Gov George Beshear representing kentucky you have one dum Senator, how can he justify that internet poker undermines horse racing, in my experience racing people love a flutter and enjoy card gambling games which includes poker,will he come out next and say that Base Ball Amercian Football,Ice Hockey and track and field sports taking place on a raceday undermines the ability of racetracks to attract paying cutomers,i dont think he has ever heard the term spread betting, you invest in a poker game, have a bet on the horses, and maybe a bet on the result of an amercian football game, and if one of the three comes in for you you win and cover the losses on the other two.I was of the opinion that America was the land of the free well obviously not, with a dictator for a governor at the helm of the state of Kentucky freedom of choice could be a thing of the past.

 

Originally Posted by StoneColdNz

 

Originally Posted by RGC2005

He said the sites could be preying on youths, not paying gamblers their winnings and even funneling money to terrorist organizations.

BUGSY CLUB won't pay me!!!!!!!!!! They say people are stealing checks from the mail on there way to the United States. It's probably the damn terrorist organizations. Kill em BUSH, so I can get my check.

You poor baby. You play a site named after a famous gangster that won't pay you. imagine that. LOL on u

I don't know if they would, but the sites could give out an IP address. Then it doesn't matter who has the domain name. We would connect directly to the site without any domain name servers being involved.

Horse racing is immoral. Horses are being raced when they are aged 3 until 5, then they are too old. Guess what happens to them? Off to the auctions. The lucky few are then bought by horselovers who try to re-train them into polohorses, jumping horses etc (really difficult because all they can do is go fast in a circle), some go to charities but most of them go slaughter. Google around a bit and you will find appaling conditions and animal abuse on the way to and within the Mexican and Canadian slaughterhouses (slaughter is now illegal in the US). No thanks I rather flip some coins.

<TABLE id=HB_Mail_Container height="100%" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 UNSELECTABLE="on"><TBODY><TR height="100%" width="100%" UNSELECTABLE="on"><TD id=HB_Focus_Element vAlign=top width="100%" background="" height=250 UNSELECTABLE="off">He said the sites could be preying on youths, not paying gamblers their winnings and even funneling money to terrorist organizations.

"This is a threat to national security," he said.

Damn counta-cultua. That's what they do, prey on the youth.
And I'm a little worried about these news sites as nat'l security threats too:
www.jihadpoker.com
www.fullramadanpoker.com
www.dirkadirkamuhammedjihadpoker.com

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Beshear is a Democrat. And enough with the fucking redneck comments douchebags.