A very good article in the Newsday this week came to the conclusion that the United States may have backed itself into a legal corner where either it must:
"Allow Americans to wager online with offshore casinos or ban all Internet gambling - including popular pastimes like fantasy sports leagues and off-track betting on horses."
The problem, of course, is the interlatedness of the US ban and the international trade agreements that, in theory, open markets to everyone in every potential product arena.
The key to this dispute remains Antigua and Barbuda:
"the tiny twin-island nation of 80,000 people in the Caribbean, which could force the United States to reconsider laws prohibiting online wagering with offshore casinos."
The WTO case is essentially over and only a penalty decision is left on the table.
"The organization's credibility is on the line. It can't risk the rap that it aggressively enforces trade rules against small nations but timidly allows the world's economic powerhouse to skate."
Rep. Barney Frank has said of his bill that would basically rescind the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act:
"It's not dead. It's not very active, it depends on whether or not there's support. I don't think there's support for it yet."
Surprisingly, he went added:
"I take it back. If the European Union gets into this Word Trade Organization dispute, that's a lot more pressure."
