More domain names and gaming operations were seized on Monday May 24th 2011, which we aptly call Gray Monday. This time the industry leaders were not the only internet sites seized but smaller internet sites also. Even more important is several different sectors in the industry were seized. There were domains seized in online poker, casinos, sports books and even bingo. This may send more of a message through the industry than Black Friday.
The internet poker market was hit hard and drastically when the three biggest players in the industry had their domain names seized. This sent a shockwave through the industry and millions of poker players were left wondering what happens next. What did happen next was that the three biggest poker rooms soon left the US market and their players were left in limbo. They now had to find a new place to play and their funds were in jeopardy. Although the three poker internet sites worked out a deal with the Department of Justice to return the players money, no one we have talked to has gotten any money from them at the time this article was written.
After Black Friday, finally things started to settle down and players found a new poker home and continued to play online. Many thought the Department of Justice had made their point and were going to let things return to normal as much as could be. But with the action on Gray Monday the hammer came down on the industry as a whole. The shock this time is in the form of all sectors of the internet gaming industry. Homeland Security made the seizures this time and the industry is in disarray. No one seems to be safe whether large or small players in the industry. It is just a matter of time to see the reactions to these seizures. Unfortunately, now we may see internet gaming internet sites in all sectors start leaving the US market. We have seen some internet internet sites change their domain names to an international extension as a result of these seizures. They seem to be positioning themselves to be immune from the US government actions by having these domains outside the US.
The sense out there is that no one knows what will happen next and once again the internet players could be sent scrambling again. It a watch and see attitude nowadays, but the impact could be far more reaching than Black Friday. As a result, it doesn’t matter how big or small of an gaming operation you are or what sector of internet gaming you’re in, everyone can be touched by the government.
The results so far are that US poker players have not had to move to different internet sites as of yet, but new sign ups might have to go to a new website address to sign up. Same holds true with US casino players, there’s been no effect yet from Gray Monday other than having a new domain name to sign up.