WTO rebuffs U.S. on Internet betting ban

[highnote]

Don't know if this has been posted, yet -- I haven't seen a similar one.

But if so, PA, you can take it down.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070331/ap_on_hi_te/wto_internet_gambling;_ylt=At9VdIcNuUl4BCZY29_jd6h k24cA

[Indulto]

From the article:WTO rebuffs U.S. on Internet betting ban By BRADLEY S. KLAPPER

GENEVA - The U.S. has failed to change its ban on Internet betting to comply with a World Trade Organization ruling that said the legislation unfairly targets offshore casinos, the global trade body said Friday.

… The Geneva-based trade referee has said Washington can maintain restrictions on online gambling, as long as its laws are equally applied to American operators offering remote betting on horse racing.

… Washington claimed victory in the WTO's initial ruling two years ago because the body recognized its right to prevent offshore betting as a means of protecting public order and public morals. But the U.S. acknowledged Friday that the latest decision was a setback.What are the odds that the Bush Administration will remove the exemption?

[GameTheory]

I've seen it pointed out that it would be very bad PR for the adminstration to be pushing the WTO, and yet ignore its rulings when they apply to our own country. Are we really going to be part of the community, or just a bully that expects everyone else to follow the rules but will ignore them ourselves when it doesn't suit us?

[NoCal Boy]

Little to no chance the US will do anything to horse racing. It does not just have to do with internet gambling on horses. If the US tries to use the 1961 Wire Act to argue that remote gambling on hors racing is illegal, then all OTB's and inter-track wagering would also be illegal. Remember if you are watching a race at Santa Anita and wager on Belmont Park, that wager crosses interstate wires. Of course, Congress also passed the IHA in 1978, and amended it in 2000 to allow for ADW, are that specifically allows interstate horse wagering by any electronic means as long as it is legal in the states involved.

Put another way, do you really think the US is going to allow Antigua to bring down a multi-billion dollar horse industry? Of course not, and Antigua knows that. Their intention is to open up gambling, niot for the US to make it more restrictive. Notice the racing stocks had no negative reaction to this today (Magna, CHDN, UBET). In fact, they are up at last look on a down market day.

[Robert Fischer]

So the WTO rules in favor Antigua....when will MONEY TRANSFER be permitted to betting sites in Antigua? :sleeping:

Or do we no longer recognize the WTO ?

[ceejay]

What are the odds that the Bush Administration will remove the exemption?100-1 or so.....

[Valuist]

But that administration will be out in the not too distant future. Once that happens, there's at least a chance it could get overturned. Maybe not great, but a lot better than 100-1 against.

[NoCal Boy]

There is a chance that internet gambling will be liberalized in the next few years, but I see little to no chance racing's exemption will be touched in a restrictive manner. The horse industry has too many infliential tentacles in major states for that to happen. It is not just the racing industry, but all that feeds into and around it that would be impacted.