Antigua and Barbuda is renewing efforts to try to settle a long-standing trade case challenging U.S. laws restricting the twin-island nation’s internet gambling industry but says the United States has yet to make any serious offers.
"We're now entering the 12th year where the United States has not made sensible proposals to settle the matter," said Antiguan Ambassador to the U.S. Ronald Sanders, a long-serving diplomat and former envoy to the WTO.
““The Caribbean nation is looking at possibly invoking its WTO-authorized retaliation that would allow the country to create unfettered access to roughly $21 million worth of U.S. copyrighted movies, music and books each year
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However, Sanders said a negotiated solution is still the goal.
The U.S. is unlikely to amend the anti-racketeering laws Antigua accused of restricting its ability to provide gaming services to American customers and which the WTO found to be in violation of international trade laws. But the tiny country still wants a settlement package that could compensate the estimated $200 million it has lost in revenue after U.S. restrictions served to wipe out Antigua’s burgeoning online gaming industry, Sanders said. Read the full story here.