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September 11, 2007
A World Trade Organization (WTO) row centering on online gambling between the US and the Caribbean island nation of Antigua is continuing to develop, according to a recent report in the Antigua Sun. Developments in the case have a particular interest for those non-US operators of online bingo games and online bingo halls hoping to get back into the lucrative US market following that country’s implementation of its Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) law. The Antigua Sun article claims it is unlikely the US will back down from its anti-foreign online gambling stance despite the prospect of having to pay billions of dollars in claims. Instead, the US is continuing to say that withdrawal from its WTO obligations in which it must grant market access to Internet gambling companies is the favoured way to resolving the dispute with Antigua. for the US this means it may have to reach settlements with all WTO member states that could file compensation claims due to the US’ withdrawal from its obligations. This would possible include claims from the European Union, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, India, Macao and Japan. The UIGEA law currently forbids financial transactions between US players and Internet gambling and online bingo operators based outside the US. Its implementation has seen a slump in the online gambling industry, but signs are now indicating the industry is recouping its losses. Should the Antigua claims against the US prove successful in repealing UIGEA, free online bingo operators stand to gain from expansion back into the US market. Written by John Witherspoon - Play bingo online at http://bingostreet.com/ and read our online bingo blog.
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