The State of Kentucky is vigorously continuing its attempt to seize control of well over 100 privately owned domain names in its State Supreme Court. The domain names just happen to be related to the very lucrative online casino industry.

In a bizarre case that has many interested observers from all sides of the globe watching, the State of Kentucky is appealing an early decision that it had misinterpreted the term of ‘gambling device’ to include domain names related to internet casino gambling. It was argued by the defense that the legislature never intended ‘gambling device’ to include an internet domain name. Part of the argument put forward by the defense was that the legislation was drafted at a time when the internet was not present, therefore it could never have been envisaged to cover domain names.

The case before the Kentucky Supreme Court is capturing major attention not just within the online casino gambling world, but from all corners of the globe. Many see it as an attempt by the State of Kentucky to flex their muscles and establish jurisdiction not just over online casinos operating within the United States, but in other countries as well.

The State of Kentucky has been trying to argue that companies, wherever they may be located in the world, are operating illegal online casinos within their State, and it is insignificant that the domain names are registered outside their physical jurisdiction. However, lawyers representing the the various online casinos are arguing that there is presently no law in the State of Kentucky that prohibits online casino gambling in that.