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October 15, 2007
A panel of experts at a trade forum organized by a major European think tank has harshly criticized the US over its anti-foreign Internet gambling policies and has reached the conclusion that the US faces up to $US100 billion in compensation claims due to its intentions to withdraw from its world trade Organization (WTO) obligations regards online gambling.
The US has tried to avoid the dictates of a WTO ruling which ruled in favour of the small Caribbean nation of Antigua that the US’ UIGEA law violated free trade agreements. The US has sought to withdraw from those agreements and now faces compensation claims from a number of nations, especially those in the European Union.
"The US decision is a major threat to a rules-based international trading system," said Nao Matsukata, former director of policy planning for the Office of the US Trade Representative.
"If more countries follow the US lead and do the same thing, the entire WTO system could implode and that would be extremely dangerous for US economic interests and for free trade generally.
"Part of what makes the US such a formidable opponent in international negotiations is its credibility. That credibility is now at stake for the US government not just in the trade area but in foreign relations generally."
Lode Van Den Hende, a trade lawyer at Herbert Smith in Brussels, added his opinion saying: "This is absolute discrimination against foreign operators that the WTO has found to be illegal.
"It is exactly the kind of practice that the WTO was set up to eliminate, and now the US is violating this very basic principle that it fought hard to put in place at the inception of the organisation."
Online bingo industry observers and operators of free online bingo games and online bingo halls will be following developments on this issue very closely having been stung by the US’ online gambling policies. Bingo online was severely affected by a loss of revenue due to being shut out of the US market due to UIGEA.
Written by John Witherspoon – Interested in free online bingo? Our great online bingo portal gives all the info you need.
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