WTO Online Gambling Case Ready To Proceed Against United States

The United States has spent the better part of the past two years telling Americans that they are no longer to make their own decisions in relation to using their free time for online gambling. The European Union, however, will not sit back and let the U.S. unfairly prosecute their online gaming companies.

Members of the EU are in Washington this week trying to do as much investigative work as they can to figure out if the U.S. violated trade agreements with their enforcement actions against these online operators. The most likely scenario is a case being brought to the World Trade Organization.

"It looks very much as if this matter will...be sent to the WTO at the end of the commission's investigation," said Lode Van Den Hende, outside counsel for the Remote gaming Association. While the world waits, time is running thin for the United States.

If indeed the WTO finds that the U.S. has committed these violations, there could be severe ramifications. European sanctions on the United States could be the end result from the case.

The United States government has been stubborn in their efforts to rid the country of Internet gambling. While they have tried to pass laws to eliminate the online gaming (UIGEA), the law has failed miserably and brought further doubt as to how it should be enforced.

Finally yesterday, some progress was made in the efforts to overturn the ill-advised Bill passed back in 2006. Representative Barney Frank had his online gambling Bill passed by the members of the House Financial Services Committee.

September 17, 2008
Posted By April Gardner
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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