TOKWIRO CONFIRMS KENTUCKY BLOCKS (Update)

5 December 2008

Kentucky players will be permitted to withdraw account balances

 

Absolute Poker and UltimateBet affiliate reports earlier this week that Kentucky players have been blocked from the two sites were confirmed this week by owner group Tokwiro Enterprises.

A Tokwiro statement advised:

"In complying with the [Frankfort County] Court's orders, Tokwiro has agreed to implement an IP Block across its Absolute Poker and UltimateBet websites (both .net and .com), plus utlimatebet.tv.

"The block will prevent players with IP addresses originating inside the Commonwealth of Kentucky from playing using AP and UB software, logging in or registering a new account, making deposits to the cashier, and transferring or receiving funds from other players.

"The IP Block will allow players with IP addresses originating in Kentucky to make withdrawals of existing account funds, but these players will not be able to make any new deposits or transfers."

Paul Leggett, Tokwiro's Chief Operating Officer, explained: "We have taken this action in order to ensure that the vast number of our customers, who do not reside in Kentucky, continue to have access to our sites and can enjoy playing online poker without disruption or inconvenience."

The blocks follow similar actions taken by the Cake, Microgaming and Merge online poker networks, and are a consequence of a Kentucky state attempt (to confiscate international Internet gambling domain names) aimed at excluding online gambling from the state in order to protect it's major horserace gambling industry. The issue is currently awaiting an appeal judgement (see previous InfoPowa reports).