US Fights WTO over Internet Gambling

The tiny Caribbean island nation of Antigua and Barbuda holds the cards in a dispute over Internet gambling that could ultimately cost the United States billions of dollars.

If arbitration efforts fail, Antigua and other aggrieved parties, including the European Union, could begin exacting sanctions as early as next month over the U.S. decision to withdraw from a World Trade Organization accord recognizing the legality of Internet gambling.

Antigua is seeking sanctions worth $3.4 billion, and has suggested it might claim that sum by becoming a harbor for pirated intellectual property such as movies and musical recordings. Total sanctions claimed by the EU, India and other countries approach $100 billion, although the United States, in negotiations, contends that appropriate levels of compensation would be far less.

In 2002 the EU threatened to impose $4 billion in sanctions after the WTO ruled that a U.S. law granting tax breaks to exporters was illegal. The threat was withdrawn after Congress repealed the law in 2006.

Financial Services Committee Chairman Frank earlier this year introduced a bill that would lift bans on online gambling for properly licensed operators. Licenses would include protections against underage gambling, compulsive gambling and money laundering.

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US Gambling Giant Ponders Entry into European Markets

Harrah’s Entertainment Inc, the land-based US gambling company that owns the rights to the wildly popular World Series of Poker, has hinted that it may be interested in entering the European online poker market. This move comes in the wake of the easing of restrictions on the Continent and in the United Kingdom, compared to the tough sanctions imposed on the online gambling industry in the United States. “Those are areas that are very attractive to us,” noted Gary Loveman, CEO of Harrah’s Entertainment, speaking at the well-attended Global Gaming Expo in North America this week.

A company spokesperson also stressed that Harrah’s would not enter ‘gray areas’ under any circumstances. According to sources, Harrah’s Entertainment is doing its homework regarding the legal options of entering the European and English online poker markets, with the aim of ruling conflicts that may arise with the US gambling legislations.

Bingo Caller Determined To Be Number One

SCOTLAND’S champion bingo caller is bidding to bring the UK crown back to Edinburgh later this month.

James Cook, 31, from Fountainpark, will take on five other callers from across England and Wales. He beat his Capital rival Alan Brown, from Wester Hailes, at the Scottish final last month.

Since his victory, he revealed he has been stopped in the street by fans wishing him luck in the London contest on November 25. Mr Cook, of Slateford, said: “I want this so much. Scotland has never won this title and I’m determined to give it my best shot. I want to show the judges I have the flair to be an ambassador for such a popular industry.”

The National Bingo Caller of the Year final will be hosted by actress Lorraine Chase. The winner will enjoy an all-expenses paid busman’s holiday to call bingo in a Las Vegas casino.

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Wigan woman wins £45,000 at bingo!!

A catering team leader from Wigan, turned in to a dancing queen after a huge win at bingo. Alice Mulvey from Ince has revealed that she and husband Frank, 61, danced around their driveway after she came home, with the news that she had won a total of £45,150.

The 57-year-old struck gold after paying just £2 for a ticket for the National Bingo Game by completing a full house in 44 numbers, the lowest achieved in any of the 470 clubs where people were playing that evening.
Mrs Mulvey, who works as a catering team leader at the Asda distribution centre in Ince, shared the national prize of £90, 000 with a player in Rhyl who also completed the game in 44 numbers, and £150 for the house prize.
Mrs Mulvey, who has three children and three grandchildren, with a fourth due in February, said: “I’m gob-smacked.”

A regular online bingo player, Mrs Mulvey has played twice a week for about 5 years, she goes on her own and was sitting with some other

regulars when her numbers came in. She needed only one number, 85, with 29 numbers called, but had to wait for a further 15 numbers to be called before it appeared.

Sweden to follow UK and Italy?

The ruling party in Sweden has decided to end their support for the government’s online gambling monopoly. At a party conference in Gavle over the weekend, the ruling Moderate party voted to de-monopolize the country’s gambling industry and to privatize Svenska Spel, the country’s government-owned gaming company.

Up until now, the official Moderate party line has ruled out privatization of the gambling industry in the European Union nation, but after convincing arguments from Tomas Tobe MP, it appears that the Scandinavian nation will follow European Commission directives to allow the free movement of EU services within their borders.

Tomas Tobe MP, told delegates Sweden must abolish the current monopoly and join England and Italy in regulation of the industry instead through a licensing system. To counter balance a possible increase in gambling, Tobe said funds should be allocated to problem gambling research and establishing risk-minimization controls.

“By December 2008, an in-depth report on the gambling market will be released following an investigation by Jan Nyrén, legal counsel of the police authority, but the party congress did not want to wait for this and voted for change to take place more rapidly”, Tomas Tobe MP said.

Svenska Spel generated over 500 million Euros in profits last year and if publicly listed as expected, the company could be valued at almost 7 billion Euros. Svenska Spel’s profits are largely attributable to a lack of competition. Svenska Spel currently owns and operates the only five operational casinos in Sweden.

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