A preliminary report issued by the European Commission finds that the United States’ policy on online gambling goes against World Trade Organization rules and deemed it as “unjustified and discriminatory”.
The European Commission acted on a request by the Remote Gambling Association to investigate why the US allows local companies to operate in its gambling market, yet pursues European operators, usually under threat of persecution, to halt their services to US players.
“It is for the U.S. to decide how best to regulate online gambling in its market, but this must be done in a way that fully respects WTO obligations,” said the European Union Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton on the issue. “I am hopeful that we can find a swift, negotiated solution to this issue.”