Antigua and Barbuda strikes back the US laws

Financial Times reports: "The Caribbean island state of Antigua and Barbuda made another steps in bringing the United States back before the World Trade court in a long-running dispute over United States restrictions on internet gambling.

Washington declared "Antigua, which has a population of 68,000, has failed to abide by the World Trade Organization ruling last year that US internet gambling laws discriminate against foreign suppliers. Antigua blames these restrictions on internet gambling for loosing a great part of the rapidly mounting offshore gaming business. Antigua and Barbuda wants to boost its online gambling industry to counterbalance its declining tourism industry.”

“US players are estimated to account for about half the $12bn of the global internet gaming industry.”

This week Antigua pushes for meetings with the US, a prelude to the company of a WTO panel to judge compliance. In the case that WTO finds US still in breach of fair trade rules Antigua can ask for permission to strike back.

"…Antigua is especially put out because the US has taken no action to apply the WTO ruling, claiming that its laws are already in conformity…"