According to Antigua' top finance official and representative, the
U.S government and Antigua have set a new deadline this week to agree a
solution to their WTO litigation over online gambling.
Antigua filed a case accusing the U.S.
of violating a trade deal and taking measures that affected the island’s online
gambling industry by prohibiting Americans from transferring money to online
gambling sites such as online poker rooms, online casinos and sportsbetting
companies located outside the U.S territory, including companies located in the
Caribbean island.
About two weeks ago, the deadline determined by the World Trade Organization
expired without resolution. In 2007, WTO ruled in favor of Antigua's request to
sanction the U.S. services,
copyrights and trademarks as a way to pressure the U.S and eventually make them
lift the online betting ban, however, the WTO ruled that Antigua
could impose only $21 million in annual trade sanctions.
Antigua’s Finance Minister Errol Cort said yesterday that they have met with U.S. trade
representatives to reach a resolution over the gambling conflict. Both sides
have agreed to set a new deadline on June 20th and add more time to
see if they can solve the dispute with out recurring to another arbitration.
Sean M. Spicer, a spokesman for the office of the U.S. Trade Representative,
has said that both countries are trying to settle the dispute through a mutual conformity.
A law passed by the U.S. Congress in 2006 prevents banks and credit card companies
from processing money transfers to online gambling businesses outside the U.S. That
regulation blocks Antigua's access to the U.S. gambling market, which at the
time was the biggest and most lucrative market on the world.
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