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US Online Casino Policy Does Not Suit the Caribbean |
| The online casino industry has been facing a threat lately from the side of the US government. The government had recently passed a bill through the US House of Representatives which makes illegal for credit card companies to allow payments to online casino sites. By this bill the government is preventing online casino sites from targeting the US market and, no doubt, saddens the online casino gamblers. The Caribbean, however, has made a petition to the World Trade Organization (WTO), claiming that the US government is violating international trade agreements. The online casino industry is worth billions of dollars, with the US gamblers who are around half of its customers. Antigua, where online casino industry became a major part of the economy, is leading the confrontation. The WTO has responded to the petition and promised to check if the US government really violates international trade agreements. Ronald M. Sanders, the Antiguan Chief Foreign Affairs Delegate, says: "We have a responsibility to our people to maintain their jobs and to defend our small and vulnerable economy." Now all that is left to do is to wait for the US government's response to the WTO. Anything the WTO will decide can be obligatory and can force the government to make changes regarding their new online casino policy. However, the decisions can be appealed, so we might wait a long time for the final results… |
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