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Antigua Seeks Huge WTO Fine Against US
GENEVA — The United States should face commercial sanctions worth more than $3.4 billion each year for its failure to comply with a World Trade Organization ruling that its Internet gambling restrictions are illegal, the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda said Wednesday.
Antigua, which won a WTO ruling last year against the U.S. restrictions, is asking the trade body for authorization to target American trademarks and copyrights if the U.S. refuses to alter its legislation.
It said the sanctions would come into effect “shortly,” unless the United States requests a WTO arbitration panel on the level and scope of the sanctions.
“While we realize this is a significant step for Antigua and Barbuda to take, we feel we have no other choice in the matter,” Antigua’s Finance Minister L. Errol Cort said in a statement.
“Until such time as the United States is willing to work with us on achieving a reasonable solution to this trade dispute, we will continue to use every legitimate remedy available to protect the interests of our citizens,” he said.
The move by Antigua comes a day after the European Union told the United States it too wanted compensation for the U.S. ban on foreign online gambling sites.
U.S. trade officials were not immediately available for comment.
Antigua argues that before the ban was introduced, online gambling provided income for hundreds of its citizens and helped end its reliance on tourism, which was hurt by a series of hurricanes in the late 1990s.
Last year Washington stopped U.S. banks and credit card companies from processing payments to online gambling businesses outside the country.
The decision closed off the most lucrative region in a market worth $15.5 billion last year. About half of the world’s online gamblers are based in the United States.
The World Trade Organization ruled in December that the law unfairly targeted offshore casinos, telling the U.S. it could keep restrictions against sport betting in place if they were also applied to American businesses.
xxxxxhttp://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/4905106.html
Hehe, just think of what the EU is going to seek, since they joined Antigua in the complaint now.
Whatever they are going to want will be sure to make a splash.
Actually, kind of pisses me off. Not that I dont think US will pay cause we probably wont. But I hate to think of my Tax $$ going over shores in light of how much already has. We have people in this nation who cannot afford Medical, Dental, Housing, etc but we are going to send $$ to other nations. Just dont sit well with me. Then what they said about not adhering to copyrights, again something that sits wrong. As a computer programmer I know, Nations like China,India, Malasia piss me off selling Copyrighted works as their own and for pennies on the dollar. Just kills the tech market in this country.
We’re still doing our research on this case, but we also know that at least Canada; Chinese Taipei; Japan; Mexico; and China will assume compensation over the US Internet gambling issue.
We also found out that delegates from Antigua met with Barney Frank last night to basically make sure that Frank’s new legislation will not leave out properly licensed and regulated offshore gambling companies from entering the US market should his law go further. For more information on that meeting you can read this http://www.casinogamblingweb.com/gambling-news/gambling-law/antigua_delegates_meet_with_frank_over_internet_gambling_bill_46575.html
If you mind sending our money offshore, do you mid that we provide money, etc to those on our shores who don’t even belong here!
There would be plenty of money to feed everyone in your country and in the world, and to provide free health care to everyone in your country, if the US didn’t spend over 50% of its budget on the military.
Some analysis of all that’s going on…
http://www.casinocitytimes.com/news/article.cfm?contentID=166924
In case people don’t know. The WTO will review all of these compensation complaints on July 24. The complaints for compensation are all expected to be accepted by the WTO at which time the US will consider arbitration. Arbitration takes up to 4 months. The US is expected to lose in arbitration.
Antigua thinks they are sitting on a gold mine here. The second the decision by the WTO is final compensation plans will begin. That means that all copyrighted US companies will be subject to having their products sold for pennies on the dollar via places located in Antigua and other countires that filed for compensation. This means Microsoft and Disney products. This means it could disrupt the entire US economy. This is very major stuff and I cannot see the US not fixing this situation. How exactly I don’t know, but I can see no other way but to open up the industry once again. Other people we have talked said maybe they will open up the horse racing betting to other nations. Others say they will simply pay off Antigua and fight the other countries by changing more of the WTO agreements.
Here is a story titled: Microsoft, Disney to Push for Online Gambling Regulation in the US?
At the very least everyone must admit that this is one of the most interesting and entertaining industries in the world.
Bush and company have some serious decisions to make here. His brain truss (Kyl, Frist, Goodlatte, etc.) really didn’t think through the ramifications of their actions, now did they ?
To me, this big determining factor of whether the U.S. will pay dearly or not, will be if the EU jumps all over this situation or not. If they do, this can have serious economic impact on an already over-budget U.S. economy. A lot of this will be determined by the Bush-Blair relationship, and if Blair looks to protect his evil buddy before stepping down from office. Blair’s successor doesn’t give a rats ass about Bush, so the way Blair handles this will be the determining factor of how this plays out, IMO.
Although the economic impact of the worst case scenario here, could literally effect my pocketbook, it will be interesting to see how Bush-League handles all this, especially if his boy Tony doesn’t offer a helping hand.
I would love to see him exit his Presidency with a 10 % or less approval rating.
@CGW 128580 wrote:
Here is a story titled: Microsoft, Disney to Push for Online Gambling Regulation in the US?
I cant wait to hit Mickey Mouse on the Scatters and get Daffy Duck on the free spins.
Seriously thought, US wont pay fines – it would need to be big on part of the EU, to warrant wanting to put trade sanctions in place… something which will be a real test, because in todays economics.. its no longer whose got the biggest bomb, but rather who has strategic influence over another countries economics.
@CGW 128580 wrote:
In case people don’t know. The WTO will review all of these compensation complaints on July 24. The complaints for compensation are all expected to be accepted by the WTO at which time the US will consider arbitration. Arbitration takes up to 4 months. The US is expected to lose in arbitration.
I read recently that the US was seeking a way out of having gaming covered under it’s WTO agreement so that it could avoid the whole issue. Is that still not the case?
@Simmo! 128610 wrote:
I read recently that the US was seeking a way out of having gaming covered under it’s WTO agreement so that it could avoid the whole issue. Is that still not the case?
From what I understand, if this is even possible it defeats the purpose of the GATS and they will get strong opposition. Also, from what I’m reading those that file complaints may barter gambling for other areas of industry. The US may be forced to give in on other issues to keep the gambling ban intact. I feel it’s all speculation at this point. Every time I get my hopes up it gets shot down by a new US tactic.
The good news is that Costa Rica is jumping in now too.
http://www.gambling911.com/Costa-Rica-Online-Gambling-062207.html
Thanks, Mojo.
Yep, it’s a real good thing Costa Rica joined. I am hoping to see a few more join in.
Some of the countries will be like Antugua, seeking direct compemsation for gambling losses, others will use it as a pressure point for other concessions, such as the EU.
Either way, it will cost the US dearly and should cause debate and reconsideration. While the Antigua approach reaches directly into the US pockets, the EU approach will mobilize the particular industries it will target to complain to the US government.
I cant wait to hit Mickey Mouse on the Scatters and get Daffy Duck on the free spins.
Thanks for the great morning laugh!!
I think the USA will do the usual bad ass act but in the end it will do no good with all these other countries stepping up against them. Like mojo said it is all speculation at this point, I for one am hoping the US gets knocked down for the count finally on this issue.
