Earlier this year, 68 year old US Congressman Barney Frank proposed a new bill that, if passed, would license and regulate Internet gambling activities in the US.  Frank’s proposal comes in response to the UIGEA (the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act) that was past last fall and basically prohibits online gambling in the US.

The Caribbean Community called CARICOM, a network of 15 Caribbean nations who in 1973 formed a bond to work together to improve the social and economic standards in their countries, has now entered the equation. Some of their objectives include the desire to achieve a greater measure of economic leverage and an expansion of trade when dealing with third parties.

At a recent Heads of Government conference that was held in Barbados, CARICOM declared that they fully support Frank's initiatives and offer him their appreciation. The Caribbean organization, which includes members from the islands of the Bahamas, St Lucia, Haiti, Jamaica, Belize and Trinidad & Tobago, to name a few, have also recently lent their support to Antigua as they stood up to the States earlier this month.  

"CARICOM’s endorsement of Congressman Frank's Internet gambling bill is another significant indication that the US must readdress the way it now treats Internet gambling," said spokesman Jeffrey Sandman from the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative.

The bill supported by CARICOM would require domestic and foreign online casino, sportsbook and poker room operators to acquire a license and to take measures in protecting their clients from underage and compulsive gambling should it be passed.  Although these restrictions may be tighter than what they faced in the past, it is better than nothing, especially for some of these Caribbean nations who rely on the income from online gambling activities and have been cut off by the US thanks to the UIGEA.

"Rather than face billions in trade sanctions for WTO violations, we hope that Members of Congress will instead regulate Internet gambling in order to comply with the WTO, better protect consumers and generate billions of dollars for important government programs." Continues Sandman.