EU Preliminary Report Out

EU Commission reports “US violates commitments to WTO with banning online gambling.”

In a preliminary report released by the European Commission, the US is in violation of fair trade rules when it comes to online gambling. The Commission is referring to the UIEGA being passed in 2006 which banned most online forms of gambling, but a few methods of online betting, within the borders of the United States, remained legal. So now not only does the US offer forms of gambling only within its borders, it prosecutes licensed overseas companies offering forms of online gambling for millions of dollars.

The EU Commission has decided to try and negotiate a solution with the United States instead of filing a compliant with the WTO. This decision has pleased House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Franks. Rep. Franks commented “I’m struck by the people who think we have to abide absolutely and religiously by the WTO … but when it comes to banning gambling and the WTO, they ignore it.” Representative Franks is reportedly introducing legislation to overturn the UIEGA after the April Congressional break.

So while Party Gaming is settling with the US Justice department for millions of dollars the tide could finally be turning for the US gamblers. The EU definitely has an easier government to work with since the Democrats took office in November. But the question still remains how seriously the United States will take the report issued by the EU Commission and how willingly it will be to settle the issue once and for all.