WTO Rules U.S. Online Gambling Ban Violates Free Trade Agreements

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 10, 2004 - 7:48am.

Geneva -- The World Trade Organization (WTO) has ruled that the U.S. is violating free trade agreements by banning U.S. residents from gambling at online casinos operated out of the island state of Antigua and Barbuda. In its 287-page report, the WTO said the U.S. online gambling ban constitutes an unfair trade barrier, and was not specifically addressed by the U.S. in a 1994 global free trade agreement. "We will vigorously appeal this deeply flawed report to the WTO Appellate Body," said U.S. Trade Representative spokesman Richard Mills. "The WTO agreements confirmed the rights of Members to protect public morals and public order." If the U.S. appeal fails and it does not implement the WTO's ruling, Antigua and Barbuda would be justified in imposing trade sanctions against the U.S., although such sanctions would likely do more damage than good to the tiny nation's economy.
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