.casino

Status:	Delegated
Date Implemented:	19 February 2015
Type:	Generic
Category:	Commerce
More information:

.casino is a new generic top level domain name delegated in ICANN's New gTLD Program. On 4th December 2014 it was announced that Donuts had won .casino after withdrawals from Famous Four Media, Afilias and dotBeauty LLC The TLD will enter an EAP period starting May 27, 2015.

Applicant

1. Donuts (Binky Sky, LLC), a start-up registry company backed by large investors which applied for 307 new gTLDs. This applicant submitted a Public Interest Commitment, which can be downloaded here.

Former Applicants

1. Famous Four Media (dot Casino Limited), the contact person is Geir Rasmussen; the company is based in Gibraltar and applied for 61 new gTLDs. This applicant submitted a Public Interest Commitment, which can be downloaded here.
2. Afilias Limited This applicant submitted a Public Interest Commitment, which can be downloaded here.
3. dotBeauty LLC, the contact person is Brian David Johnson. This applicant submitted a Public Interest Commitment, which can be downloaded here.

Objection

Saudi Arabia's Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) filed an objection against the TLD. The country is not part of the GAC and therefore cannot issue a GAC Early Warning.

All of the applications for .casino were issued a GAC Early Warning from the representative of Australia and GAC Chair, Heather Dryden. The warning system is noted as a strong recommendation on behalf of national governments to the ICANN Board that a given TLD application should be denied as it stands. Applicants are encouraged to work with objecting GAC members. One such warning, for Donuts' application, notes that the string is associated with a regulated market sector and that there are not currently sufficient protection mechanisms in place to prevent consumer harm.

Top-Level Domain

Governmental Advisory Committee. Considers and provides advice on the activities of ICANN as they relate to concerns of governments, particularly matters where there may be an interaction between ICANN's policies and various laws and international agreements or where they may affect public policy issues (ICANN Bylaws).