Tag: Governor Chris Christie

Categories
News Trademarks Video Games

Domain News Updates: Zynga, Frank Schilling, 2011 Top-selling domain, Worldwide Media, Internet Gaming

 postboard

Here are a few quick updates on stories posted here on Fusible in the last month. 

Gamegos, buyer of $500,000 domain Gamesforgirls.com– Gamegos, which I revealed last month as the buyer of the top selling domain name in 2011 so far to date, finally has a landing page online for its prized domain.  Well, sort of.  The one-page website says nothing more than, “Games for Girls -gamesforgirls.com”.  Garry Chernoff who sold the name, also had the top publicly reported domain sale for Feb. 28, 2011 – Sun. March 6, 2011, according to DN Journal, with the sale of doorhardware.com for $85,000.  While it may be old news to you, what you might not know is that Garry’s company NetIncome Ventures purchased doorhardware.com for a mere $15,655 back in 2008 via NameJet.

Zynga breaking stories– As a blogger, I like to look for breaking stories, and Zynga has been a source of many breaking stories here on Fusible.  My story on Zynga filing for a trademark on the word “ville” in the European Union got lots of reaction online with several major news sites and technology blogs picking  up the story – ranging from CNET to Wired and TechDirt to Games.com.  Hundreds of people have retweeted the story on Twitter and “Liked” it on Facebook.

The latest updates on New Jersey Internet Gambling Bill– Though Governor Chris Christie, vetoed what could’ve made New Jersey the first U.S. state to make online gambling legal, there’s still hope. “Sponsors of the legislation are talking about massaging the language to make it more acceptable to the governor rather than circling the wagons for an override vote, and everyone seems to think the issue is headed to New Jersey voters in the fall,” writes Larry Josephson for Covers.com.

Frank Schilling’s NAMedia updates its social networking experiment, again– I’ve been reporting on Frank Schilling’s social media experiment for months now.  The web app has changed names one time already from note.com to chatr.com.  Now this week, the website has changed names again – this time from chatr.com to postboard.com.

Mike Berkens’ Worldwide Media sells VisitBerlin.com for $230,000, sitting on a gold mine– As reported in February, domain investor and blogger Mike Berkens has sold $725,300 worth of domain names recently.  And those are just the sales that don’t fall under an NDA (non-disclosure agreement).  But his portfolio could be worth a whole lot more.  Earlier this month Mike wrote a story about Sony’s announcement of Move.me, it’s Move development platform.  But as he noted, Sony doesn’t own the domain, he does.  Move.me was acquired for just $4,200 during Sedo’s November .ME auction which netted over $400,000 in sales.

Categories
News

The latest updates on New Jersey Internet Gambling Bill, gambling domains, sales, and more

Governor Chris Christie

There’s been a number of headlines this past month about internet gambling and gambling domains.  Here’s a roundup of news and gossip from around the web, with stories ranging from the New Jersey Internet Gambling Bill and ongoing negotiations for the sale of gambling.com, to 2011 domain sales and predictions. 

New Jersey Internet Gambling

I wrote earlier in the week how The New York Post was predicting New Jersey Governor Christie would veto the state’s Internet Gambling Bill.  Though it was thought Gov. Christie had until Feb. 24 to sign the bill, veto the bill, or veto the bill with conditions, otherwise it would become law if no action was taken – it appears he has longer. 

According to PokerNews, “Christie has decided that he actually has until March 3 to make the decision.  The governor’s office claims a legislative recess in New Jersey gives him the extra time, according to Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association chairman Joe Brennan Jr.” 

Another issue that was brought to light in the PokerNews article, is that the NY Post story that claimed the Governor might veto the bill, appears to be false.  PokerNews quotes Brennan: “I’ve heard people say they heard the governor is going to veto the bill,” Brennan said. “Our people are as close to the governor as anybody and they don’t know what he’s going to do because the governor hasn’t indicated to any party of this what he’s going to do. Anyone saying they know, they’re not involved in anything but rumors and prognostication.”

And while New Jersey could be the first state to legalize internet gambling, California could follow shortly thereafter.  Steven Stradbrooke of CalvinAyre.com has more on California legislation.

Gambling Domains 2011 Sales
 
The gambling domain industry had a fantastic year in 2010 in which two gambling domains sold for seven-figures:  slots.com for $5.5 million and Poker.org for $1 million.  While 2011 is just getting started, Sedo Broker Ryan J. Colby who recently brokered the top-selling domain name in 2011 so far to date with Gamesforgirls.com for $500,000, has predicted this year will be one of the best on record. 
 
“I’m making an early prediction that 2011 will see the highest number of seven figure domain name sales on record”, Ryan tweeted last week.
 
Though there haven’t been many big gambling domain sales in 2011 to date, OnlineCasinos.ca sold for $28,000 earlier this month.  And there’s a good shot Ryan’s prediction will become true, with gambling domain names like tournament.com and gambling.com on the market.   The sale of gambling.com is being brokered by Sedo, which brings me to my next headline.
 
The Sale of Gambling.com will complete during the Second Quarter
 
Speculation grew that billionaire Calvin Ayre might purchase gambling.com to add to his growing Bodog empire.  A story that appeared on BlackJack Champ even speculated he would own the name by the end of January.  Well, Media Corp Plc still owns the domain according to registrant records, but the company’s 2011 first quarter trading highlights published last month shed some light on what’s going on with gambling.com.
 
“Strong year on year growth has continued at Purple Lounge Limited, the Group’s online poker and casino business and at Eyeconomy, the Group’s wholly owned advertising network. In addition the Group is in ongoing negotiations with a number of parties for the sale of gambling.com. It is anticipated that the sale should complete during the second quarter of the financial year.”
 
Kentucky internet domain name case dragging on
 
There haven’t been many new developments in the Kentucky domain name case that has dragged on for years.  In January, lawyers representing both sides of the case filed briefs in Franklin County Circuit Court, in Frankfurt, KY, iMEGA reported.
 
“Lawyers representing iMEGA asserted the association’s right to contest the Commonwealth’s attempts to seize their members’ Web site addresses, while Kentucky’s lawyers ignored previous court rulings on standing, insisting that iMEGA and other trade associations lacked the right to appear.”
 
As iMEGA points out, “The matter now lies in the hands of Franklin County circuit court Judge Thomas Wingate, who issued the original seizure orders on the behalf of Kentucky.”
 
Have a gambling domain rumor or story tip I should know about?  Contact us or leave it in the comments. 
 
Image Credit: (Governor Photos)
 
 
Categories
News

New York Post article predicts NJ Gov. Chris Christie vetoes online gambling bill

Governor Chris Christie

Online gamblers have waited patiently in New Jersey for Governor Chris Christie to sign a bill for internet gaming legislation that was passed by the New Jersey Senate in November 2010.  Now, an article in the New York Post entitled All bets off(line) is predicting that Gov. Christie will veto the bill, rather than sign the bill into law or do nothing and let the bill automatically become law in March.

Online gambling, if passed, even at the state level, could be a boom for the domain industry with respects to gambling domains.  Although, gambling domains didn’t need much help in 2010, with two domains in the Top 10 Domain Sales of 2010 totalling nearly $7 million; Slots.com and Poker.org.

So, what’s happening in New Jersey’s Office of The Governor?

“The first-term Republican has six days, until Feb. 24, to veto the bill or it becomes law.”, writes the New York Post.

“Christie is being pushed in both directions,” a source close to the situation said. “My gut tells me he is not going to sign.”

Lawmakers passed the bill on Jan. 10, hoping to breathe new life into the state’s 11 casinos — which, because of stepped-up competition from Delaware and Pennsylvania, saw monthly revenues fall by $100 million over the last two years.

Internet gaming would bring in roughly $10 million in added revenue a month, one lawmaker estimated. The cash-strapped state, which will tax online gaming revenue at a 23 percent clip, expects to pocket roughly $28 million in added revenue a year.

Critics have not been happy and speculation on what’s driven the Governor to possibly change is all over the spectrum.  An article on Calvin Ayre’s Tablog shows a photo of Gov. Christie with a gun pointing to his head.

Read more of the story in the New York Post.

Image Credit: (Governor Photos)