St. John's - Antigua and Barbuda's finance minister on Friday defended his nation's bid to impose USD 3.4 billion in trade sanctions against the United States, which it accuses of ignoring a World Trade Organization ruling against a U.S. online betting ban. Finance Minister L. Errol Cort dismissed criticism of Antigua's plan to target U.S. trademarks with USD 3.4 billion in penalties every year, until the United States applies its online and offshore betting ban more uniformly or allows Americans to place bets with international gambling businesses.

The government of the United States has made its first compensation offer to the European Union (EU) following its withdrawal from World Trade Organization (WTO) obligations, according to the Financial Times newspaper. The recent newspaper report claims that European gambling groups are currently pressing the EU to reject as inadequate the American compensation offer for losses suffered when the US passed its Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) legislation last year restricting online betting.

The United States continues to resist compliance with a World Trade Organization ruling regarding the double standards inherent in US online gambling regulations. In addition to reaching settlement with Antigua, the US will also have to negotiate settlements with several other countries. The Antigua Sun printed excerpts of an interview with an official from the United States Trade Representative (USTR) office which outlined the basic US strategy for resisting the ruling.

The fight has been long and hard as jurisdictions around the world have sought to get the United States to ease up on restrictions against Internet gaming going as far as to suggest that what that country is doing must be illegal as far as consumer protection is concerned. This, of course, is mostly from the perspective of those within the United Sates who have become used to a certain freedom when it comes to wagering.

Antigua and Barbuda’s claims against the US are likely to reach as high as USD 7 billion as the Internet gambling dispute continues. Antigua and Barbuda’s attorney at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Mark Mendel has warned the US to expect billions more in sanctions. Meanwhile, the country prepares to file its claim in respect of America’s decision to withdraw from its General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) commitment to international market access in the areas of gambling and betting services.

Geneva - The tiny Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda asked the World Trade Organization on Tuesday for the right to authorize [[USD]] 3.4 billion in commercial sanctions against the United States for its failure to comply with a WTO ruling against its Web gambling restrictions.

The Conference of the Caribbean Community, at its recent meeting in Barbados, expressed its appreciation and pledged its support for the efforts of Congressman Barney Frank and his legislation to regulate Internet gambling in the United States. The 15 Caricom member countries further pledged to work with Members of Congress who introduced bills to regulate and enforce Internet gaming and expressed continued support for Antigua and Barbuda...

The small island nation of Antigua and Barbuda has gained support from fellow members of the Caribbean Community (CariCom) economic bloc in its online gambling dispute with the US. In June, the Caribbean nation filed suit in US District Court against America’s Attorney General, Alberto Gonzales, the US Federal Trade Commission and the US Federal Reserve to stop the enforcement of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA).

Costa Rica will join World Trade Organization (WTO) members: European Union (EU), Antigua & Barbuda, India and Japan in seeking compensation from the United States, according to reports on Point-Spreads, relating to Washington's removal of online gambling and online poker from its trade obligations, after the WTO repeatedly ruled that Washington's ban on remote Internet gambling violates WTO trade agreements that the United States signed.

Today, former New York Senator Alfonse D'Amato, chairman of the Poker Players Alliance, released the statement below. The former Senator's comments are in response to the European Union's support of Antigua's ruling against the United States and claim for compensation based on the U.S.'s violation of its World Trade Organization commitments.

Geneva: The tiny Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda slammed the United States over its illegal restrictions on Internet gambling sites based overseas and asked other countries to join in seeking compensation from Washington for its failure to comply with global trade rules. Antigua, the smallest country to successfully litigate a case in the World Trade Organization's 12-year-history.

Die Problematik des grenzüberschreitenden Angebots von Glücksspielen beschäftigt schon seit mehreren Jahren die Welthandelsorganisation WTO (World Trade Organisation). Nachdem die USA eine Entscheidung des Streitbeilegungsgremiums (Dispute Settlement Body) der WTO vom 20. April 2005 nicht umgesetzt hatten, wurden sie nunmehr mit einem Spruch eines Gremiums der WTO, dem sog. Compliance Panel, verurteilt (41-seitiger „Report of the Panel“ vom 30. März 2007, Az. WT/DS285/RW, abrufbar unter www.wto.org).