The United States has managed to postpone for the fifth time their resolution to the ongoing gambling dispute with Antigua showing a blatant disregard for the meaning of the word ‘deadline’.  According to spokespeople at the World Trade Organization (WTO), the United States asked for yet another extension to the case with the new date for resolution being October 1, 2008.  Whether or not this date will see an amicable resolution come to pass remains to be seen and Mark Mendal, the legal representation at the WTO for Antigua, has expressed concerns that the new date will still not close the deal.

According to the WTO, the United States violated free trade policy when they closed their doors to offshore online casinos with the passing of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in 2006.  This act states that financial institutions could not process any monetary transactions to or from online gambling entities which subsequently caused most of the online casinos and poker rooms to outright ban American players.  Because of this act, the WTO sided with Antigua and states the United States owes them $28 million annually in lost revenue.  This amount is a mere fraction of Antigua’s initial request, and they have only recently entered into talks with the United States in regard to resolving this issue and how it would be paid.

With the United States stalling yet again, Antigua may decide to pursue the case instead of negotiate.  If this happens, the United States will be required to defend itself in the court of the WTO.  Dr. Errol Cort, the Minister of Finance, and Antigua have been more than lenient with the deadline extensions that are accommodating the trade representatives of the United States, and have acknowledged that resolving the case is becoming more and more difficult.

It does not help matters for Antigua that the WTO sees the summer months as ‘holiday time’ and there is no indication as to when the talks will actually resume, making the October 1, 2008 date seem a moot point already.  It is unknown why the United States is forestalling and there have been speculations that the upcoming Presidential election may be part of it.

OCA’s gaming analyst Sherman Bradley believes that Antigua is allowing the United States to intimidate them and they are acting ‘grateful’ that the United States is even paying them the slightest bit of attention by even agreeing to talk with them.  He went on to comment, “Hopefully the U.S. government realizes the European Union will not act in a similar fashion.”  Bradley is referring to the fact that the European Union may press the matter and not be as forgiving as Antigua if more cases against the United States come to light.