The United States will maintain a ban on Internet gambling services despite an adverse World Trade Organization ruling, meaning other WTO members can seek potential damages at the WTO. Deputy U.S. Trade Representative John Veroneau said the United States did not believe there was any basis for other countries to receive compensation. Even though U.S. law has banned interstate gambling for decades, the United States failed to make clear its commitments "did not extend to gambling," Veroneau said. Having exhausted other options to fight the case, the United States will exercise a rarely used right under WTO rules to modify its 14-year-old services commitments and explicitly exclude gambling, Veroneau said.
A WTO decision in March said the United States had failed to comply with an April 2005 ruling against a portion of its ban having to do with online gambling on horse racing. In fact, the U.S. Congress moved in the opposite direction last year and passed additional legislation to ban online gambling by making it illegal for banks and credit card companies to make payments to online gambling sites. The United States believes it should not have to pay compensation because countries did not bargain for access to the U.S. gambling market as part of world trade talks in the early 1990s, Veroneau said. Also, the long-standing U.S. ban on interstate gambling makes it "nonsensical" for countries to believe the United States was opening that market, even though it did not explicitly say that it was not, Veroneau said.
News source: InformationWeek
A WTO decision in March said the United States had failed to comply with an April 2005 ruling against a portion of its ban having to do with online gambling on horse racing. In fact, the U.S. Congress moved in the opposite direction last year and passed additional legislation to ban online gambling by making it illegal for banks and credit card companies to make payments to online gambling sites. The United States believes it should not have to pay compensation because countries did not bargain for access to the U.S. gambling market as part of world trade talks in the early 1990s, Veroneau said. Also, the long-standing U.S. ban on interstate gambling makes it "nonsensical" for countries to believe the United States was opening that market, even though it did not explicitly say that it was not, Veroneau said.
News source: InformationWeek
I don't agree with gambling myself, pointless exercise, however, it's a money spinner for some.
That's all that needs to be said, nothing more to see here.
You're absolutely right. We should be more like China.
No ****. Did it take you awhile to figure that one out?
Plus you'll be criminalizing the gamblers, even though all they wanted to originally was gamble, and not to be involved in organized crime.
So, because you (allegedly) know someone that can't handle gambling, it should remain totally illegal for everyone?
Does this also mean that because people occasionally stab other people with steak knifes, anyone who uses a steak knife should be considered a criminal of some sort and that steak knives should be universally outlawed?
Hey, cars are a big killer! How about we outlaw them too! Or maybe we should just outlaw pedestrians crossing streets for their own safety!
last time I checked we still make the final decision if we want to entertain ourselves gambling online... you made it sound like they are demanding we gamble with them online at gun point...and sticking their hands in our pockets for the money to place a bet.
and the stats show that people do want to have the ease of doing it online rather than paying a plane ticket to travel to Vegas, get a hotel room, get a taxi and then sit at a table all uptight thinking the cameras watching us like hawks.
Yes, because we all have local casinos in our areas...
last time I checked we still make the final decision if we want to entertain ourselves gambling online... you made it sound like they are demanding we gamble with them online at gun point...and sticking their hands in our pockets for the money to place a bet.
and the stats show that people do want to have the ease of doing it online rather than paying a plane ticket to travel to Vegas, get a hotel room, get a taxi and then sit at a table all uptight thinking the cameras watching us like hawks.
I didn't make it sound like any such thing. Re-read what I wrote and reply once you understand it. Did I say 'gun point'?... Didn't think so. What I implied was that the WTO has it set up where countries that allow online gambling can sue the US for lost profits simply because US laws do not allow it. The WTO action is like allowing Nevada suing California because gamblers can't place phone bets and wants California to pay them for lost income.
However, I agree that people who want to gamble would like the convenience of doing it online and should have the option. Maybe they should be able to. So maybe the states should allow online gambling at sites hosted within the state for their residents? (yeah, and good luck enforcing it.)
Otherwise the US has laws prohibiting inter-state gambling which covers transactions that cross state lines. For instance placing a phone bet in Los Vegas from Los Angeles is illegal. Now, since the Internet traffic will cross state lines those transactions are illegal by proxy. If the US allows Internet gambling they will have to allow inter-state gambling as well, which without audit controls provides another vector for illicit activities and
another interesting article.
http://www.eog.com/news/full-article.aspx?id=23402
well at least we now know they should not have jurisdiction over the companies offshore...as they aren't governed by the "world police" laws in the U.S.
The WTO is another smoke and mirror operation just like NAFTA which only proves even more that the U.S. only wants to be the only money maker in town and it's illegal for anyone else to take a piece of the pie. Anyway's they are only making themselves look worse through the eyes of the rest of the world... their reputation is only getting even more damaged.... no one will trust their intentions when it comes to global business fairness.
on that note:
COME ON CHINA!!!....exercise your power and prove there's more than one big bully in town. lol
OH CANADA!! lol
http://www.eog.com/news/full-article.aspx?id=23402
well at least we now know they should not have jurisdiction over the companies offshore...as they aren't governed by the "world police" laws in the U.S.
The WTO is another smoke and mirror operation just like NAFTA which only proves even more that the U.S. only wants to be the only money maker in town and it's illegal for anyone else to take a piece of the pie. Anyway's they are only making themselves look worse through the eyes of the rest of the world... their reputation is only getting even more damaged.... no one will trust their intentions when it comes to global business fairness.
on that note:
COME ON CHINA!!!....exercise your power and prove there's more than one big bully in town. lol
OH CANADA!! lol
You are kidding, right?
The US is not claiming jurisdiction over offshore companies. They are claiming jurisdiction over what happens WITHIN the US.
Get your arguments straight.
And I agree- Oh Canada! LOL.
I sure don't see a lot of Americans risking their lives to paddle across the pond to live in some other country.
Seems like everyone is killing themselves trying to get here. Hummmmm wonder why?
I sure don't see a lot of Americans risking their lives to paddle across the pond to live in some other country.
Seems like everyone is killing themselves trying to get here. Hummmmm wonder why?
Well thats because they just walk across the border to Canada its allot easier no paddling or life risking involved. Then they can gamble online here to there hearts content, while smoking cubans.
I sure don't see a lot of Americans risking their lives to paddle across the pond to live in some other country.
Seems like everyone is killing themselves trying to get here. Hummmmm wonder why?
Well thats because they just walk across the border to Canada its allot easier no paddling or life risking involved. Then they can gamble online here to there hearts content, while smoking cubans.
Your comment sums it up. If you don't like it, go somewhere else where you can do it.
And while you're at it, give up half your income. You can do it, eh.
Now that's hitting below the belt! Alas, it's all too true.
I really hate all the hoops I have to jump through to get a Monte Cristo No. 2 Especial into this country!
You didn't read the article did you? The article isn't even about people in the US. It's about people outside the US upset because they feel the US is violating international trade agreements (again). Patriotism is good, but don't be so patriotic that logic can't make it into your head.
Banning online gambling is like banning drugs. It doesn't work, but it sure makes us look morally right and ensures those who do partake can't do so in a safe, regulated environment.
I'm rather astonished actually nobody crossed the MMORPG tendency to assign real-world values to online credit with a gambling site. The site has no official way to get money in and out, and it's all for credits, but people will buy and sell credits on the outside marketplace.
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