Continuance granted in order to give interested parties a chance to prepare their cases or settle.
Wednesday 1st October 2008
In the southern American state of Kentucky, the Franklin County Circuit Court has delayed its hearing to determine the fate of 141 online gambling domain names seized last week.
Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate granted a continuance in the matter until October 7 in order to give online gambling sites and other interested parties a chance to prepare cases or settle the suit.
Michael Brown, the state’s Secretary of Justice and Public Safety, brought the civil action on behalf of the Commonwealth of Kentucky with the help of Democrat Governor Steve Beshear. Subsequently, the Court found that probable cause did exist to believe that the names were being used in connection with illegal gambling and issued a seizure order, which applies to 141 domains including AbsolutePoker.com, BodogLife.com, FullTiltPoker.com and PokerStars.com.
'The Poker Players Alliance is pleased that the court decided to allow for a full review of this case including arguments from both sides,' said John Pappas, Executive Director of the Poker Players Alliance.
'Until this point, the state and its hired gun class-action attorneys have acted in an ex-parte fashion, only presenting one side of the argument to the Court. The continuance granted today will ensure all the cards are on the table and allow the current owners of the domain names of the 141 websites to retain ownership in the interim.'
The Poker Players Alliance is a non-profit interest group and had earlier in the day filed an amicus brief with the Court opposing Kentucky's attempt to seize the gambling domain names.
'The actions by the state of Kentucky are not only extreme but groundless in that it can be clearly proven that poker is indeed a game of skill and not chance and, thereby, poker websites should not be part of the state's action,' said Pappas.
'The amicus brief filed on behalf of the Poker Players Alliance today proves this.'
In the southern American state of Kentucky, the Franklin County Circuit Court has delayed its hearing to determine the fate of 141 online gambling domain names seized last week.
Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate granted a continuance in the matter until October 7 in order to give online gambling sites and other interested parties a chance to prepare cases or settle the suit.
Michael Brown, the state’s Secretary of Justice and Public Safety, brought the civil action on behalf of the Commonwealth of Kentucky with the help of Democrat Governor Steve Beshear. Subsequently, the Court found that probable cause did exist to believe that the names were being used in connection with illegal gambling and issued a seizure order, which applies to 141 domains including AbsolutePoker.com, BodogLife.com, FullTiltPoker.com and PokerStars.com.
'The Poker Players Alliance is pleased that the court decided to allow for a full review of this case including arguments from both sides,' said John Pappas, Executive Director of the Poker Players Alliance.
'Until this point, the state and its hired gun class-action attorneys have acted in an ex-parte fashion, only presenting one side of the argument to the Court. The continuance granted today will ensure all the cards are on the table and allow the current owners of the domain names of the 141 websites to retain ownership in the interim.'
The Poker Players Alliance is a non-profit interest group and had earlier in the day filed an amicus brief with the Court opposing Kentucky's attempt to seize the gambling domain names.
'The actions by the state of Kentucky are not only extreme but groundless in that it can be clearly proven that poker is indeed a game of skill and not chance and, thereby, poker websites should not be part of the state's action,' said Pappas.
'The amicus brief filed on behalf of the Poker Players Alliance today proves this.'