Antigua and Barbuda turns to the United States to settle a gambling dispute

For more than 20 years, the country’s gambling laws have found themselves at odds with the United States’ gambling laws, which Antigua And Barbuda He insisted it was discriminatory. The country even won a case with WTOas it was excluded from the gambling market in the United States and requested annual compensation of $ 21 million.

It’s time to get rid of the bad blood

However, the money has not arrived, and the country now wants to get it US government act as Antigua and Barbuda Economic losses continue to mount. The country reiterated its early position that it is willing to seek a settlement of the dispute by mutual agreement and amicable terms, but it will need the United States to engage in discussions and find a settlement.

The United States responded that it was ready to work with Antigua and Barbuda, but said such efforts must also come as part of a genuine effort to find a solution. This has been going on for a while now, with laws that were arguably hurting the Caribbean nation’s economy passed in 2018. 2003.

The problem has worsened since then, with no solution in sight. The dispute centers around Antigua and Barbuda’s decision to build an Internet licensing system for gambling companies to offset declining tourism revenues, but ultimately may find itself right outside the United States due to laws regarding cross-border gambling and data transfer that are respected to this day on the mainland.

A long-awaited decision that harmed the economy

However, the Caribbean nation is now hoping to benefit from the elusive $21 million annual payments from the United States, relying in part on financial aid. WTO As a mediator. The international body granted the country the right to use trade sanctions to compensate for its losses, but this will not put the Caribbean country in a better position, because engaging in a quasi-trade war with the United States does not carry any benefits for its economy.

That’s why the state instead urged its much larger neighbor to agree to the $21 million settlement. However, there appears to be a dissonance between what the United States can offer, what it is willing to offer, and what it can offer Caribbean The state believes it should rightfully receive.

The latest appeals come at a time when the country’s economy is still suffering from the weight of the United States being denied access.