WTO says US ban on online gambling discriminatory

03/31/07 - newratings.com

NEW YORK, March 31 (newratings.com) – The World Trade Organization (WTO) Friday termed the US ban on offshore net gambling payments as illegal. The announcement upholds an earlier decision announced by the global trade body in April 2005 in response to a complaint filed by the twin Caribbean islands nation of Antigua & Barbuda.

The WTO said the US had ignored its previous ruling that had challenged the ban on payment to offshore gambling sites, while allowing US companies to continue the business. The US government had earlier this year banned credit card companies from processing payments to betting sites such as SportingBet Plc and Empire Online Ltd. The two companies were forced to close their US operations and sell them off for nominal amounts.