German Seizures?

01/02/2009		German Seizures?
Home History Games News Dictionary		A confusing yet interesting development seems to be taking place in the nation-state of Germany and its yet unclear exactly the motivation or legalities behind the seizures permitting them to occur. Germany-language news sources have now publicized the confiscation of two website domain names by government officials, and the online gambling community can’t help but make comparisons to the censorship of China, or the Kentucky efforts in America. According to a number of online casino news sources, the internet neutrality standards are now under attack in Germany. Apparently, Juergen Buessow, a German politician has successfully seized two website domain names from online gambling sites, having them transferred into governmental ownership. The first was a German/English language internet sportsbook that was previously owned by the International Betting Association Ltd that is based in Gibraltar called ‘bet3000.com.’ The second was an online gambling news site called ‘tippen4you.com,’ whose ownership is still under question. Making the issue even more suspicious, the seizure of the two sites saw the domain name ownership being transferred into Buessow’s name, rather than confiscated by a governmental entity. Tippen4you is still being held by the government, while bet3000 has been returned to International Betting Assoc pending an investigation into the legalities of the transfer. Why the domain was transferred to Buessow’s Bezirksregierung Dusseldorf is unclear, though research revealed the official’s involvement in a censorship movement against neo-Nazi content and phishing sites in the recent past. Until more information is known, it will remain unclear on a number of counts- where did Buessow determine his legal rights originated from in making the seizure, and why would it circumvent legal venues? Is Germany jumping on board with internet censorship, or is there simply a Governor Beshear in the European state, testing the waters of future confiscations?

01/02/2009

German Seizures?

A confusing yet interesting development seems to be taking place in the nation-state of Germany and its yet unclear exactly the motivation or legalities behind the seizures permitting them to occur. Germany-language news sources have now publicized the confiscation of two website domain names by government officials, and the online gambling community can’t help but make comparisons to the censorship of China, or the Kentucky efforts in America.

According to a number of online casino news sources, the internet neutrality standards are now under attack in Germany. Apparently, Juergen Buessow, a German politician has successfully seized two website domain names from online gambling sites, having them transferred into governmental ownership. The first was a German/English language internet sportsbook that was previously owned by the International Betting Association Ltd that is based in Gibraltar called ‘bet3000.com.’ The second was an online gambling news site called ‘tippen4you.com,’ whose ownership is still under question.

Making the issue even more suspicious, the seizure of the two sites saw the domain name ownership being transferred into Buessow’s name, rather than confiscated by a governmental entity. Tippen4you is still being held by the government, while bet3000 has been returned to International Betting Assoc pending an investigation into the legalities of the transfer. Why the domain was transferred to Buessow’s Bezirksregierung Dusseldorf is unclear, though research revealed the official’s involvement in a censorship movement against neo-Nazi content and phishing sites in the recent past.

Until more information is known, it will remain unclear on a number of counts- where did Buessow determine his legal rights originated from in making the seizure, and why would it circumvent legal venues? Is Germany jumping on board with internet censorship, or is there simply a Governor Beshear in the European state, testing the waters of future confiscations?