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October 25, 2007
European Union (EU) and Antigua representatives are going to have to wait longer to find out if their negotiations to gain compensation from the US over a World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute have been successful. The US has managed to introduce more delays into a WTO process which is assessing how much compensation the US will pay for its decision to withdraw from its treaty obligations regards online gambling. Last year the US implemented its Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) which saw non-US online gaming companies effectively bared from doing business in the US. Antigua and the EU have sought redress from the WTO which ruled the US move illegal prompting the US to seek withdrawal from the WTO obligations instead of amendment to UIGEA. Affected countries barred from the US by UIGEA are now seeking compensation for losses in trade. Reuters is now reporting US Trade Representative spokesperson Gretchen Hamel as saying: “In order to provide all parties with sufficient time to reach a successful resolution, the United States and the claimants have jointly agreed that these negotiations should be extended until December 14.” Online bingo games operators and European-based online bingo halls are keeping track of developments in the dispute for any indications on future US policy. However, any chance of a US change of heart regards UIGEA seems to have been quashed by the US’ willingness to pursue withdrawal from its WTO obligations regards the gambling industry. Profits in online bingo were severely affected by the loss of the US market last year. Written by John Witherspoon – Come and read all about the online bingo world. BingoStreet’s online bingo news section serves the freshest info of the industry.
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