Antigua & Barbuda Wages War Against US Jihad on Internet Gambling
The World Trade Organization, which is the organization that deals with world trade, has agreed to look into the U.S. Government's jihad on online gambling, as Antigua and Barbuda (represented in this year's Miss Universe contest by the girl seen here) continues to argue that U.S. laws restricting online wagering violate free-trade rules.
The little Caribbean nation with a population of 67,000 has been battling the U.S. for several years now at the Geneva-based WTO, which is the acronym for the organization that deals with world trade. Antigua and Barbuda has staked much of its economic growth on the online gambling business, with 30 licensed betting firms operating from within its shores and an overwhelming majority of bets coming from American citizens. With the recent U.S. shut down of BetonSports and legislative assaults from mujahideen like Osama Goodlatte and Ayman al-Leach, Antigua and Barbuda is becoming increasingly concerned about its financial future and may seek sanctions against the U.S. after it missed an April deadline to stop discriminating against offshore online wagering businesses.
"The United States has been passing legislation that is directly and unequivocally contrary to the ruling of the DSB," Antigua officials said in a statement to the WTO's Dispute Settlement Body.
"The issue of compliance (with the ruling) was clear, limited and straightforward," the U.S. said in a statement to the WTO. "We are now in a position to show that our prohibitions apply to both foreign and domestic suppliers (of gambling services)."
The WTO panel has 90 days to reach a verdict.
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