Antigua and US to discuss gambling
Antigua and Barbuda’s finance minister, Errol Cort is set to have talks with a United States Trade Representative today in an effort to bring resolution to the Internet gaming dispute between the two countries.Cort left the island on Wednesday for today’s meeting with the US official, Susan Schwab.
“We believe this matter can be settled in an amicable way because we enjoy an excellent relationship with the United States,” he said.
“I am therefore hopeful (we can) come to some broad understanding in terms of settlement.”
Antigua and Barbuda officials have already been given the go-ahead by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to target U.S. services, copyrights and trademarks in retaliation for a U.S. online betting ban.
The WTO also ruled Antigua could impose only US$21 million in annual trade sanctions and not the US$3.4 billion the island had requested.
Antigua has insisted the U.S. is trying to cripple its gambling industry by banning Americans from placing online bets with gambling operators, including those based on the island.
US laws now bar banks and credit card companies from processing payments to online gambling businesses outside the country.
