WTO Rules Against the United States Again

Antigua has defeated the United States in court again as the WTO ruled in favor of Antigua in their gambling case.

The WTO had previously ruled in favor of Antigua. It said in 2005 that the US had broken a 10-year-old pledge to open up the industry. The United States did not change its policies and has now been censured both for its original violations and its failure to obey the first order. The WTO ruling said that the US allowed gambling in America but not with foreign gaming companies by way of the Internet. This breaks free trade rules.

The United States ignored the first ruling and will probably ignore this one as well. The decision is a technical victory for the online gambling community but in reality means very little. Online gambling has been hit hard since the United States passed a law making it more difficult to send and receive money from online gambling sites.

The United States has cracked down recently on Internet gambling companies with arrests of then-Sportingbet chairman Peter Dicks, and former BetOnSports chief executive David Carruthers.

Antigua is one of many countries that have become homes to online gambling companies. The online industry is a major part of the Antiguan economy.