Newsweek runs story on the WTO dispute between Antigua and the US
If you’re not familiar with the ongoing dispute between the US and Antigua in front of the World Trade Organization, Newsweek is running a story in their current edition that summarizes the squabble well, and also provides a good summary of the possible implications for online gambling.
Their take, in short, is that the dispute will likely force the US to alter their stance on legalized online gaming. An excerpt:
Giant American bricks-and-mortar casinos like Harrah’s and MGM are making plans to move into the online sector as soon as the U.S. trade stance becomes clear.
They could get a sign as early as this week. Sept. 22 is the first WTO deadline for America to cut a deal with Antigua and the other nations. But one WTO insider predicts that the only announcement on that day will be that the deadline has been extended. “This won’t happen fast; America is going to dig its heels in,” says Sallie James, trade-policy analyst at Washington’s Cato Institute. “But if I had to bet, I would say that by this time next year America will have changed its laws.” And in this case, that means all bets will be on.
