Online Casinos Negotiate With Kentucky
Just hours before a scheduled 3:30 hearing in front of a Kentucky judge, online gambling operators are seeking to reach an accord with Kentucky legal representatives. The hearing is set to decide whether the state has the right to seize the domain names of Internet casinos operating illegally inside Kentucky jurisdiction.
A spokesman for the Kentucky Justice Cabinet said negotiations were currently underway to see if a settlement could be reached before the case is called into court.
Governor Steve Beshear has asked the court to seize 141 domain names. Even though Beshear campaigned as a pro-gambling candidate, he has attacked the online gaming sites for taking money that might otherwise be wagered in the state's horse racing industry, and for paying no taxes.
State lawyers are asking that the online casinos block any further access in Kentucky, and pay damages for past transgressions.
If the online gambling industry compromises with Kentucky, it must expect similar situations to arise throughout the U.S., and possibly the world. The legal precedent set may be ominous and far-reaching, as this would allow any government that declared an activity or type of content illegal to shut down international websites that happened to not conform to local law.
Opponents of censorship should join with gambling patrons to hope that the situation is resolved in the favor of the casinos, or the Internet as we know it may change forever.
