Cardplayer.com Article on the WTO Court Case Between U.S. and Antigua

There's a wonderful synopsis on Cardplayer.com of the U.S.-Antigua battle over online gambling.

Dare To Gamble has been covering the ongoing crusade of the Bush administration to destroy online poker in America and overseas. We have an entire series of articles dedicated to the various moving parts of this issue.

One of the most dramatic parts of this story is the role of the tiny nation of Antigua. Antigua won a World Trade Organization court case against the U.S. in 2005. The Bush administration agreed to abide by that decision, but has changed its position numerous times since then.

A few months ago, the U.S. appealed the decision before the WTO, saying the UIGEA had solved the problem. The WTO ruled that, far from clarifying its position, the new anti-gambling law had further muddied the waters. The U.S. lost the appeal and is further stalling the consequences.

THE ARTICLE

The article covers why Antigua filed its lawsuit against the United States, along with the U.S. position in this dispute.

Cardplayer gives background on what the World Trade Organization is, along with the post-WWII organization it replaced in 1995. The article discusses the GATS Agreement, which is the crux of the dispute between the U.S. and Antigua.

Additionals subjects covered include the concept of remote betting and the history of Antigua's economy.

JOHN VERONEAU

The article points out one of the "masterminds" of the U.S. diplomatic and legal strategy in this dispute, a man named John K. Veroneau. Before becoming an administration expert on foreign trade, Mr. Veroneau was the Legislative Director for former Senate Majority Leader, Bill Frist.

As those who followed the anti-gambling legislation know, Frist was the evil genius behind passage of the UIGEA. In other words, Cardplayer points out that it's a small world when it comes to stupid gambling legislation.

For those who want to see our coverage of gambling legislation in America, check out these links.

U.S. Ignores WTO Ruling
Antigua Wins WTO Case Against U.S.

Cardplayer.com Article on the WTO Court Case Between U.S. and Antigua