WTO DECISION ON US DISCRIMINATION DELAYED

(658) (10-October-2006)

New US law complicates an old process

The World Trade Organisation has announced a delay in its decision on Antigua's internet gambling dispute with the United States. 

The Antigua Sun reports that delays are now taking place in the process due to the surprise passage of the new US internet gambling bill and the WTO panel's response may now be months away.

Antigua legal representative Mark Mendel has indicated that for a variety of reasons the panel's decision is now unlikely to be given before January or February of 2007. The panel began its deliberations at the beginning of September and was expected to render a decision early December.

In the meanwhile, Mendel and the Antiguan online gaming authorities are seeking support in their fight against what they claim is US protectionism, stressing that despite the focus on the Internet gaming sector, the issue at hand is not the morality or immorality of gambling.

"The key is that it's not really about morals; it's not really about gambling, it's about fair trade. We're a very small country with very limited assets. We have been willing to be very accommodating to the US in working out some kind of settlement and I just think it's about fairness," Mendel said.