Bingo: Antigua online gambling dispute with US rumbles on

The Antigua Sun is reporting that Antigua's government will soon make a statement along the lines of "...that a proposal for the resolution of the trade dispute received from the U.S. last week has not been met favourably."

Apparently the American offer, delivered after a World Trade Organization (WTO) deadline passed, was apparently discussed by the Antigua Cabinet but was not well received.

In an interview with the Antigua Sun, the Caribbean nation's Minister of Finance and the Economy Dr. Errol Cort confirmed he had  forwarded a settlement proposal to US Trade Representative Ambassador Susan Schwab last January. In the proposal, Antigua and Barbuda agreed it would hold off on arbitration proceedings at the WTO until the end of March to give the US time to study the proposal.  Although cautious, the minister hinted at an impending joint statement with the US Trade Representative as a result of the proposal.

If no such joint statement iis forthcoming, the Antigua government will issue its own independent statement.

Minister Cort said: "However, the U.S. and ourselves are seeking to agree on the press statement that would follow the decisions on both sides, in terms of how the matter will be handled."

Antigua and Barbuda are seeking compensation from the US through the WTO as the US tries to withdraw from WTO commitments aimed at providing market access to its online gambling sector.  Antigua's economy is heavily dependent on online gambling revenues.

The US' blocking of access of its online gambling markets through its controversial UIGEA legislation has badly hurt the profitability of many online bingo games operators and online bingo halls not based in the US.  Many online bingo operators had to withdraw from the US market to avoid possible prosecution by US authorities.