Kentucky and Online Gambling
Kentucky has recently made the headlines in the gaming world, but for all the wrong reasons. With so much focus on Barack Obama's and Barney Frank's views on the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006, other politicians views on gambling have been effectively sidelined. However, all of this has changed, thanks to Steven Beshear, the governor of Kentucky, and his wish to seize 141 gambling URL's which are based in the state.
Beshear has suggested the following about online gaming websites based in Kentucky;"The owners and operators of these illegal sites prey on Kentucky citizens, including our youth, and deprive the Commonwealth of millions of dollars in revenue."
Beshear makes a fair argument; some could suggest online casinos do "prey" on Kentucky citizens, although, let's be honest, this would be incorrect. The whole point of online casinos is that they reach the whole online world, not just Kentucky. Similarly, the fact that online casinos "deprive the Commonwealth of millions of dollars in revenue" is a contention point for Beshear.
Steve Beshear's view on Gambling
What makes Beshear's hopes to ban Kentucky based gambling URL's so strange is that Beshear is not against land based casinos, as long as they contribute a large amount of cash to Kentucky. Online casinos are currently banned from even taking U.S play, so these Kentucky based sites couldn't legally contribute even if they wanted to, which makes Beshear's attack on them seem incredibly odd; if Beshear wants these gaming sites to contribute to the state, he should perhaps first consult the UIEGA, which specifically disallows them to do so, seeing as they are outlawed.
Opposition to the Kentucky Online Gambling Ruling
Barney Frank, a strong opponent of the ban on internet gambling suggested this during a debate regarding the UIGEA; "has it become the role of this Congress to prohibit any activity that an adult wants to engage in voluntarily if it doesn't add to the GDP or make us more competitive?" While Beshear's proposal is slightly different, Frank's remarks are integral to understanding the current issue in Kentucky. Even if Kentucky based online casinos do not contribute to the state, should the players in Kentucky that frequent there be banned from doing so, simply because it doesn't profit the state?
Movements against Kentucky's Gambling Stance
Beshear's attempt at clamping down on these sites has been met with strong resistance. The Poker Player's Alliance (PPA), which boasts over 13,000 members in Kentucky have spearheaded a campaign that has caught the attention of the press and gamers alike. In a recent press release, the PPA has suggested the following about Beshear's bill: "The actions by the state of Kentucky are not only extreme, but groundless in that it can be clearly proven that poker is a game of skill and not chance and thereby poker websites should not be part of the state's action."
The PPA's strongly worded press release and subsequent legal documents pack quite a punch, and it's easy to understand why with the amount at stake. Poker sites based in Kentucky include CakePoker.com, DoylesRoom.com, PokerStars.com, PokerTime.com and TruePoker.com, amongst many others. Still, while poker websites may be able to weasel themselves out of the ban on the premise of skill over luck, online casinos may not be as, excuse the pun, lucky.
The Future for U.S Online Casinos
Online casinos such as and Sloto'Cash may offer video poker games, but their primary games include slots and instant play games; essentially, games which contain little, or no elements of skill. Lawyers who are representing the 141 gambling website have until December 2008, when their claims will be fully evaluated. Until then though, the gaming world will just have to wait and see.
