The new poker domain extensions such as dot poker (.poker), dot rakeback (.rakeback), others like dot casino (.casino) and dot nike (.nike) application process has been opened by ICANN on 12th January 2012
This will create its first wave of land grab frenzy and golden opportunity for those lucky enough to have the money or a company/site with the right to apply during the sunrise period. Then the next mass domain land grab will occur when domain names on those extensions are available for the public and companies to buy.
Once a new poker domain extension has been granted then the new extension owner will become that domain extension Registrar. This means they can sell normal domains with that extension, similar to sites such as GoDaddy
do with dot com (.com) or dot biz (.biz). The difference is that you could purchase from them a new poker domain such as www.rakeback.poker, www.poker.affiliates or www.welcomebonus.casino
This is the first step in the process to eventually allow companies and public to buy any domain with a special poker, casino or any approved extension.
The first real poker domain name land grab was after online poker started and when affiliates and rakeback kicked off. Most good poker domains and variants have long been taken, which is the main reason why someone bought poker.org for $1 million through Sedo.
With this original poker domain grab not many people knew how to do it or realised what could be done and gained. Mainly cyber domain name squatters got in there, a few techy nerds, people in the business and those affiliates who stumbled up this new and undreamt of land of milk and honey.
But with the new poker domains the whole system is very different and so will be the tale eventually told of these new game changing poker, casino, gambling themed domain extensions.
dot poker (.poker) and poker themed domain extensions application process open
The new poker domain land grab
When a new TLD is created there can be many rightful applicants for the same domain name. For example when the TLD dot eu (.eu) was created there were multiple applicants for polo.eu as the VW car company, the clothing brand and the polo sweet manufacturers could make a good claim to own the new domain. In the end of the sunrise application process no one was awarded the polo.eu domain and someone bought it within a second of it being made available to the general public. They then sold it on for a nice little earner.
Although the price and technical requirements to become the owner and Registrar of a new gambling domain extensions is very high this means that only a few companies, affiliates, poker players or the general public could afford it but those that do may reap untold riches.
How much would you be able to sell a domain on dot poker (.poker), dot rakeback (.rakeback) or dot casino (.casino) for? How much money would affiliates or gambling companies be able to make if they are the proud new owners of www.poker.rakeback or www.bonuses.casino ?
When will dot poker (.poker) domain extensions be awarded and available?
Not very soon that is for sure. ICANN are suggesting a minimum 9 months and up to 24 months for each new general TLD to be awarded. Once the new poker domain extensions have been granted then it may not even happen quickly then. Companies, sites, people who have a claim to a domain name may have to go through their own sunrise period, so this may cause a further delay. For example companies like PartyPoker, World Series of Poker, PokerStars will want and should have the first go at getting new dotpoker domains that are their Intellectual Property.
Once this sunrise period is over then new dotpoker domains should be available as soon as the successful applicant can set up their Registrar and reseller business so that domains on that extension such as dot poker (.poker) become available through Registrars like Go Daddy.
dot poker domains (.poker) through ICANN registrars such as GoDaddy
Then the next and most important step is to work out how much poker companies, affiliates and people will pay for a poker domain with a poker extension.
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