Kentucky’s Secretly Obtained Gambling Domain Seizure Order Continues

Kentucky Internet Gambling Domains, 22% Already Lost or Changed Name

Thursday’s planned forfeiture hearing before the Franklin Circuit Court has been postponed until 3.30 pm today, Friday 26th September. No reason was given for the delay. The hearing is set to decide whether Kentucky can seize 141 online gambling related domain names, however as of this morning, 22% or 31 of the 141 domains have either undergone a name change or have been seized.

These figures confirm that not only is the seizure of the domain names possible, but also increasingly probable, meaning that some of the larger names stand to lose the millions of dollars which they have invested in brand building.

 The relative speed and ease with which Kentucky has pursued this matter will also serve to deter US facing operators from investing further in any current or future brands which could meet the same fate.

In Europe the news has been quietly welcomed by some of the larger operators who have complained of an un-level playing field. Most European licensed operators, particularly the public listed ones, were forced to exit the US market following passage of the UIGEA in order to protect shareholders interests.

For more background information on the issues at hand, you can view the Court Order of Domain Seizure by Commonwealth of Kentucky or read the press release (new window) and listen to Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear’s statement. For the latest news and developments check in here, here, or here, as well as the ICA’s take on the developments here. If you also think that this is out of order, you can help stop the move to censorship in Kentucky here.

Source: GamingIntelligenceGroup.com

UK Ad Authority Slams PokerStars Poster

Suggesting that gambling can make a person more confident just won’t wash.

The Isle of Man based giant online poker website PokerStars was in conflict with the UK Advertising Standards Authority this week over its new "Play Mind Games" poster campaign, reports The Guardian newspaper.

The campaign features top pro poker player Daniel Negreanu holding an ice hockey stick and sporting the line: "Poker is a sport of courage, conviction and confidence," and the Authority, which has been strict in its adjudication of gambling advertisements, invoked the guidelines that ads are not allowed to link gambling with sexual success, an improved self-image or appeal to children or young people.

PokerStars argued that the ad was based upon Negreanu’s own opinion that success in poker required courage, conviction and confidence and that this was appropriately conveyed by the picture of him with the ice hockey stick and the use of the word “sport". The poster in no way implied that a person would acquire or improve upon these virtues as a result of gambling, the poker site asserted, and the reference to the offending terms was intended to highlight the difference between poker and other forms of gambling where the human elements affecting the outcome is significantly less.

The company argued that it was widely understood by the general public that poker was a game of tactics and ingenuity, and that the poster accurately positioned poker in a sporting context where self belief was a key factor.

However, the ASA ruled that the statement contained attributes that demonstrated mental toughness or resilience, and could be seen as admirable qualities in the target audience of 21 to 44 year old men. The claim implied not only that those qualities were needed in order to play poker, but also that success at poker would enhance those qualities in a player, and therefore breached CAP Code clauses 57.4(f) and 57.4(i) (Gambling) and the material was not to be used again.

Source: Online-Casinos.com

Americans Pulling For Approval of Gambling Bill

Millions of Americans Pulling For Gambling Bill To Be Approved

Representative Barney Frank has been on the case since 2006. The minute the ill-advised Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act was passed, Frank began his efforts to overturn the Bill.

While he has gotten close before, he has never been as close as he is now to freeing millions of American online poker players. Not what they are doing now is illegal, but Frank’s new Bill would do something the UIGEA does not. Clarify legal and illegal online gambling.

Last week, the Payments System Protection Act was passed by the House Committee on Financial Services. It was a major step towards finally freeing the millions of Americans that currently play poker online.

This week, the Bill and the poker players face another big test. A vote is expected from the full House on the Bill. If approved, the road would then be paved for Americans to actually know what is or is not legal to gamble online.

"Adults are entitled to do with their money what they want to do," said Frank.

That has been the basis of his crusade to keep government out of the homes of these millions of people who play poker online.

Of course, the other thing Frank is trying to get through to his fellow representatives is that Americans are playing online already. He feels the government needs to provide them with a safe place to play, where they are guaranteed to get paid when they win, and where the government can regulate the companies that run these online sites.

Source: CasinoGamblingWeb.com

Poker Cougar Jennifer Tilly Turns 50

Happy birthday to Jennifer Tilly.

The Entities who comprise Wicked Chops Poker are all about the cougars, and remind us that one of the poker world‘s hottest female players, Jennifer Tilly, just turned 50.

So we’d be remiss not to mention that Jennifer Tilly, a woman, turned a cougarific 50 yesterday (Tuesday). Read more (slightly more) about this half-century milestone here.

Whatever she’s drinking, please bottle it up for our current/first wives. So whoever they’re married to at 50 will be stoked that they look that hot.

The Academy Award-nominated Canadian-American actress and a World Series of Poker bracelet winner is probably best known to those outside the poker world for her starring role along side Chucky in the slasher film "Bride of Chucky".

She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as a hopelessly bad actress in Woody Allen’s Bullets Over Broadway (1994).

On June 27, 2005, Tilly won a World Series of Poker bracelet (and $158,625) in the Ladies’ No-Limit Texas Hold ‘Em event, outlasting 600 other players. She followed up this accomplishment on September 1, 2005 by also winning the third World Poker Tour Ladies Invitational Tournament held at the Bicycle Casino in Los Angeles. Tilly has appeared in the GSN Poker Royale series. She appeared in the third season of Poker Superstars but was eliminated in the preliminary round.

Tilly’s total poker winnings are As of 2008 her live tournament winnings exceed $450,000.

She is currently dating the Unabomber - Phil Laak.

Source: Gambling911.com

Barney Frank’s HR 6870 approved by a 30-19 vote

Online Poker Players have something to be happy about as the House Financial Services Committee wrapped up Tuesdays meetings. The meetings ended on a positive note as Barney Frank’s Payments Systems Protection Act, HR 6870, was approved by a 30-19 vote, this will open the doors for future discussions in the House of Representatives.

Barney Frank the Chairman of the committee has attempted to pass a similar bill and this was his second attempt to discontinue the regulations of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act HR 5767. Frank’s original Payments Systems Protection Act introduced in conjunction with Congressman Ron Paul. The original Payments Systems Protection Act was struck down by the Committee in June of 2008.

Barney Frank noted that the legality of internet gambling in the United States is still open to interpretation. Frank stated that whether betting on horse racing is legal depends on what department you ask. Barney Frank, he summed up his views by adding,

"How people spend their leisure time should not be made illegal or encouraged in a free society. If you’re going to [impose restrictions using the UIGEA], you’re hijacking the banking system. If this bill is passed, I would still like to repeal the law. Under this bill, at least the banks will know what is and isn’t illegal."

For online Poker players this brightens the future for the game they enjoy to play online. Most will agree poker is a game of strategy and luck, brining huge profits to the players who master the game. Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned pro today was a huge step forward which would allow you to enjoy the game of online poker.

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