Years after the World Trade Organization ruled that the US federal government had violated international trade agreements by banning offshore internet gambling sites from operating in the United States, the twin-island state of Antigua & Barbuda is still seeking financial compensation which it says it is owed.
According to Prime Minister Gaston Browne, Antigua & Barbuda has turned down an offer by the United States to end the long running dispute. The premier said that he could not deprive his nation of the $200 million owed to it by the US government, as per a ruling by the WTO in 2005. As such, Browne said that he would be pursuing a new strategy to try and recover the money, believing that the proposals made by Washington showed a lack of commitment to reach a true compensation deal.
“By comparison with the sum of over US$200 million that our country has lost, and that has been awarded to us by the highest competent international authority, the proposals from the US are regrettably paltry,” said Browne.
“Therefore, we have not been able to accept them. It is instructive that, while our country has received nothing so far, the US benefited by hundreds of millions of dollars from penalties and fines derived from prosecuting Internet gaming operators who were located in Antigua and Barbuda.”
Over a decade ago, Antigua & Barbuda approached the WTO, complaining that US online gambling laws prevent off-shore operators from offering gambling services to US residents. This, according to Antigua & Barbuda, was a direct violation of the World Trade Organization’s General Agreement on Trade in Services.
In its ruling, the WTO awarded Antigua & Barbuda the sum of $21 million per year, although the Browne administration made the US an offer of settling for $100 million – almost half of what it is now due. However, after not receiving a serious counter-proposal from the US government, Browne made a radio and TV broadcast to the nation this week, explaining the history of the 12 year dispute and outlining what he planned to do the retrieve the over $200 million owed to them.
At the height of Antigua & Barbuda’s online gambling history, the state employed a large number of people and earned significant sums for the economy. The US’s decision to ban offshore operators from offering its citizens gambling services was a blow to the state’s economy.
“Our country lost lucrative jobs for our people, and significant revenues to our National Treasury,” said the Prime Minister.
