Jesse Ventura Gets Caught Up in Minnesota Online Gambling Fiasco

An attempt to block some 2000 online gambling domain names in the state of Minnesota is likely to cause extreme embarrassment, not just to current state officials but to one of the former governors.  Jesse Ventura, the former Minnesota Governor who won on the Reform ticket, was once signed to an endorsement deal with an online gambling company.

A short version of the Online Gambling Domain Name Black List was circulated on Thursday. 

The Interactive Media Entertainment & Gaming Association (iMEGA), which is working around the clock to prevent the state from moving forward with its attempts to block these websites, told Gambling911.com that a master list of more than 2000 online gambling domain names exists.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety and their Alcohol & Gambling Enforcement Division is demanding that Internet Service Providers block state residents from accessing through their networks.  The list includes websites that have either stopped taking bets from US citizens or have never done so including Everest Poker, a company that never entered the US market.

"We question how much though was put into the selection of these sites," said Joe Brennan Jr., iMEGA chairman. "To propose censoring Minnesota residents' Web access and not to know which sites are even in the US market makes me wonder just how seriously the DPS is taking this action. It comes off as a half-baked attempt at intimidation rather than thoughtful enforcement."

Minnesota looks to follow in the footsteps of Kentucky.  An Appeals Court found in favor of iMEGA to prevent the seizure of 141 online gambling domain names. 

An overzealous Communications Director in Australia has also proposed a ban on Internet gambling websites.

Congressman Barney Frank is looking to introduce a bill next week that would make online gambling legal in all 50 states.