In a move that has completely flustered poker companies and poker enthusiasts (myself included), the state of Kentucky is sticking with their decision to seize one hundred and forty one different Internet domains. Although representatives for almost every domain filed objections in the Kentucky Circuit Court, a judge has dismissed every single objection that was filed.

In case you are not familiar with this shocking case yet, it all began back towards the end of September. At the instruction of Steve Beshear (who is the Governor of Kentucky), one hundred and forty one different Internet domain names were seized by the state of Kentucky. If you are wondering why all of these domain names were seized by the state, it is because they are all related to online poker or gambling. Not only were major online poker companies targeted by this seizure (including Poker Stars and Absolute Poker), but other types of websites were also targeted. Of all the domains that were impacted by this seizure, the most absurd was Microgaming.com. Unlike the majority of the domains targeted by this seizure, Microgaming does not even offer any gambling through their website; instead, they are a software company that sells their product directly to online casinos.

So, how exactly did Kentucky justify this action? According to Governor Beshear, these websites "prey on Kentucky citizens, including our youth." Although this is obviously untrue, it seems like a political shield to hide Beshear's true intentions, which probably stem from the fact that one of his election platforms it to expand land based casino gambling in Kentucky.

As the Poker Players Alliance pointed out, this move by Kentucky may have serious ramifications. Not only is it infringing on the right of Kentucky residents who want to play in online casinos, but it is also setting a precedent of censoring websites on the Internet through the use of force.