U.S. Government Seizes Bodog.com
February 28, 2012 1:23 pmBlack Friday saw online poker websites PokerStars.com, FullTiltPoker.com, and
AbsolutePoker.com seized by the US Government, followed a month later by
other poker rooms, including TruePoker.com and DoylesRoom.com.
The new Bodog domain name can be found here at Bovada.lv.
Now the domain name Bodog.com has been added to the list, after it was seized by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DoJ) on Monday. Consequently, anyone trying to visit Bodog.com will see a seizure notice, complete with the DoJ and DHS logos.
Nevertheless, the Departments actions will have no affect on Bodog’s operations, as the company switched domains to Bodog.eu a while back in order to put itself out of the DoJ’s reach, while Bodog also changed its U.S. facing operation’s name to Bovada back in December.
Commenting on the latest US anti-online poker action, Bodog founder Calvin Ayre said:
“Not sure what to say. BodogBrand.com is a brand-licensing organisation based outside the US. The brand left the market last year and the domain in question has been dormant globally for longer than that. We are only currently doing brand licensing deals outside the US so this domain had no place in any of our current plans.”
This then begs the question why the US government choose to seize the Bodog.com domain name, with Bill Beatty of CalvinAyre.com suggesting a possible motive as revenge for Bodog.com introducing Bovada to the American market.
Another reason suggested by Beatty is scare tactics by the US Government, which may be trying to intimidate other online gambling sites, such as Sportsbook.com, BetOnline.com and Merge Gaming Network, which is believed to be owned by Sportsbook.com. Bill Beatty concludes his article in CalvinAyre.com, by stating:
“We have not received word on the other gambling companies still actively using .coms but we can assume Bodog.com won’t be the last domain taken in the US Government’s razing of the competition as it clears way for the large Nevada casino corporations to dominate under a proposed federal poker regulatory scheme.”