Antigua and Barbuda may join forces with EU against US Gambling Enforcement Act

The European Union’s labeling of the US’s Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act as ‘protectionist’ has garnered support from Antigua and Barbuda gaming officials. Antigua and Barbuda’s WTO Attorney Mark Mendel said he would be seeking to meet with EU Internal Market Commissioner Charlie McCreevy to explore how his country’s trade dispute with the US could benefit from expanded EU support.

Mendel said “What I do think they can do is add support to our case and help encourage us to get the right results, so I think they can be very helpful. They may be able to provide us with some support at the governmental level that could be beneficial to us”.

He also said he considered it unlikely that the EU would bring its own case in the short term, since its member states have not been able to come to terms with the issue of online gaming. McCreevy is thought to have indicated he would pursue the legislative issue with his US counterparts when he visits the US next month, but he has also made it clear that a WTO battle is not one of the EU’s highest priorities.