Don't Touch My Game!
Don't Touch My Game! The next court date in the case concerning Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear's attempt to seize online poker and Internet casino domain names is Tuesday. At that time, the judge will consider motions to dismiss the order.

Meanwhile, Kentucky residents are riled at the course their governor has taken. Many point out that he ran as a pro-gambling candidate determined to bring casinos to the state.

Others have found it hypocritical for him to attack online poker, which as a game of skill is not even illegal in Kentucky, while allowing the state's horseracing industry and lotteries to operate on the Internet.

A libertarian group called the Bluegrass Institute has called a meeting Monday to discuss the deeper principles of free speech being violated by this attempted censorship, and the profound effects and ramifications for liberty and personal freedom should this dangerous precedent pass.

The Poker Players Alliance has already filed a brief as a friend of the court, rejecting any claim Kentucky makes on the domain names of online poker rooms.

Voters who supported Beshear are outraged that this order was conceived and carried out in secret, filing far away from the mainstream courtrooms. One Lexington online poker entusiast said, "He obviously knew he was wrong in many ways on this plan, or it wouldn't have been concealed until the last possible moment."

Fred Marrotta, a regular at state racetracks, said, "This won't help racing. It's just setting a bad example of government interferring in people's private business. Poker chips and decks of cards are on sale at Sears. Maybe the governor plans to raid them too."

Tammy Bonner, who says she doesn't gamble, said, "It seems to me that Kentucky is a joke for this, like we are Cuba or something. Why can't people make their own decisions on what they like on the Internet? Like TV, if you don't like it, change the channel."