The WTO’s landmark 2005 ruling requiring the U.S. to clarify its anti-gambling position was viewed as a victory by Antigua, who originally brought the case to the trade organization’s attention. However with two months outstanding before the deadline for U.S. compliance expires, some concerned parties in the Caribbean are starting to ask questions.
Antigua’s representative to the WTO has lodged a formal process, stating that the U.S. has so far done little to act in accordance with WTO rulings. In April 2005 the WTO ruled that the U.S. government’s anti-gambling stance was discriminatory toward Antigua’s economic interests and urged the U.S. to comply with the fair trade policies it subscribes to.
More recently, Antigua’s representative to the WTO, John Ashe, has written to U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman, expressing concern about a further two new legislative proposals aimed at creating further restrictions on online casino gambling in the U.S.
In his correspondence, Ashe expressed the opinion that the U.S. has done little to comply with the WTO’s ruling, and questions U.S. attempts to ban gambling further. "Each of the bills is in key respects expressly contrary to the rulings and the recommendations of the Dispute Settlement Body of the World Trade Organization," Ashe wrote. "With less than two months remaining on an 11 month and two week compliance period, to our knowledge no legislation has been introduced into the Congress that would seek to bring the United States into compliance.”

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office, Neena Moorjani, responded by advising that the U.S. is investigating different options in order to clarify its anti-gambling policies to the WTO. Moorjani also noted that the time period for compliance has not yet expired.
Antigua and Barbuda first opened their doors to the online gaming industry in an attempt to alleviate decreasing revenues from tourism. In its case brought to the WTO, the island nation stated that its 67,000 inhabitants depend on gaming firms for their income and that U.S. policies prohibiting online gambling are discriminatory in nature.

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