“The U'S versus the W TO over International Online Gambling Rights”

On bringing a ruling against the United States, the World Trade Organization, on behalf of Barbados and Antigua, asked for a clarification, and so the issue was returned for further ruling to the World Trade Organization’s appellate body. Nevertheless, when the appellate body made its ruling, questions were still left without answer in connection with the United States policy on Internet gambling. The United States maintains that it is in its legal right to outlaw online gambling for the sake of protecting public morality, and it is this claim which is at issue. The 1961 Wire Act, enacted in the United States against using the telephone to bet, was found appropriate to keep public order and morals, and is used as the basis of all legal processes aimed at prosecuting offenders of illegal online gambling operators. As no evidence was revealed to the World Trade Organization in the one hundred and thirty eight page report issued by the sides in the appeals panel, indicating that Internet gambling does indeed disrupt public order and morality, in regard to the degree of its ruling the World Trade Organization now has to bring out one more clarification. This clarifying declaration is expected next month and should have a great influence on the industry of online gambling, as it will deal with the real crux of the problem, namely, in regard to international gambling transactions whether the United States government is correct in asserting that it has the right to control such dealings.

The United States, meanwhile, continues to outlaw Internet gambling by residents in the United States free of any inhibitions that she might be in contradiction to international commercial treaties, knowing that the World Trade Organization’s ruling maintains this situation. Undoubtedly to date, the only obvious victor in this ruling is the United States, even though Antigua also claims a triumph.