WTO to Probe Whether U.S. 'Net Gambling Laws Violate Intl. Accords

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on July 19, 2006 - 1:05pm.

Geneva - The World Trade Organization (WTO) announced on Wednesday that it has established a panel that will investigate whether U.S. restrictions on Internet gambling violate international trade rules, the Associated Press reported. The island nation of Antigua and Barbuda petitioned the WTO to examine the matter, arguing that U.S. laws including the Wire Act, Travel Act and Illegal Gaming Business Act violate international trade accords in preventing Americans from gambling on its casino websites. A recent WTO ruling found that some U.S. laws did in fact violate international commerce rules, and made recommendations for how the U.S. could regain compliance. The WTO panel is expected to deliver a ruling within 90 days on how the U.S. is complying with its recommendations; both sides then have the option to appeal that ruling.

http://tinyurl.com/opepd (AP)