The Results are in for Antigua, the US and the UK

Filed in archive Gambling General on April 7, 2005

Its been a busy and political week for the online and traditional gambling industry this week.

The UK - long been pushing for a new gambling bill - has bowed to the pressure of the naysayers and pushed a largely decimated bill through whilst the promise of new 'super casinos' inline with Vegas was decreased from 40 to 8 and now just to 1.

Tessa Jowell, the Minister of Culture who was behind the bill claimed the policy's reduction will cost the UK an estimated 40,000 new jobs and �600m GBPIn the meantime, the long-running WTO case between Antigua and the USA and the ability to offer US citizens online gambling has finally been given a ruling - and both sides are claiming victory.

The US claims its victory inasmuch as the report states that as long as a WTO member clarify restrictions in a specific manner - in this case that of 'protecting public morals' - they are able to maintain those restrictions.

In favour of Antigua, the WTO ruled that the US's Interstate Horse Racing Act - that allows Americans to bet on horses only with US companies - is discriminatory further negotiations will be required between the 2 countries to amend the Act to allow for International betting - a positive sign for Antigua where many online sports-betting companies reside - read more here