Geneva - The World Trade Organization (WTO) has ruled that the U.S. failed to comply with its order to change its ban on Internet gambling, opening the U.S. to possible commercial sanctions, the Associated Press reported.

The Caribbean island nation of Antigua and Barbuda, where over 30 online gambling firms are based, originally brought the complaint against the U.S. to the WTO in 2003.

In its ruling, the WTO said the U.S. must evenly apply its online gambling ban -- which currently makes exceptions for online wagers on horse racing -- or else stand in violation of WTO accords.

"It vindicates all that we have been saying for years about the discriminatory trade practices of the United States in this area, and we look forward to the United States opening its markets," Antiguan Finance Minister Errol Cort told AP.

The U.S. Trade Representative has not yet said whether the U.S. will appeal the WTO ruling.

"The compliance panel did not agree with the United States that we had taken the necessary steps to comply with the WTO recommendations," Gretchen Hamel, a spokeswoman for the office of the U.S. Trade Representative, told AP.

Related Links:
http://tinyurl.com/34bwek (AP)

http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news_e.htm#bkmk299