Poker Superstars
Phil Hellmuth
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WTO Awards Antigua Decision |
WTO awards Antigua decision against U.S. in online poker ruling. In further follow up to the new item posted earlier this week about the United States's current dispute with the WTO and several countries involved regarding their refusal to recognize the legality of online gamling, yesterday, December 21, the WTO awarded the country of Antigua $21 million dollars in compensation to be paid by the U.S.
The case brought before the WTO labeled United States – Measures Affecting The Cross-Border Supply Of Gambling And Betting Services was decided in an 89 page ruling yesterday. In addition to awarding Antigua and Barboda a $21 million dollar compensation, they also approved Antigua's right to ignore U.S. copyright and trademark laws to a value that does not go beyond the value of their claim. No appeal is allowed on this decision.
Though Antigua did finally get paid off for their claim, the amount in damages comes nowhere near the yearly $3.4 billion they sought. And though the U.S. had claimed to hope to only be required to pay $500,000 in damages, obviously this decision ranks in their favor, from their standpoint.
A rep from the U.S. office of trade stated: "Antigua's claim was patently excessive. The United States is pleased that the figure arrived at by the arbitrator is over 100 times lower than Antigua's claim. Because the United States is already taking steps to bring itself into compliance by clarifying its WTO commitments with respect to Internet gambling, the Arbitrator's award issued today is not paramount."
Antigua's attorney Mark Mendel showed some disappointment in the case's outcome, though was pleased to note that the yearly stipend of $21 million dollars from ignoring copyright law would be substantial.
I'm sure I'm not alone in still wondering what on earth our government is thinking, paying off these countries massive amounts in a situation where they could be making money themselves off of tax dollars for onling gambling. This kind of backwards ploy seems even more ridiculous than the billions spent in a drug war that has accomplished absolutely nothing.
Hopefully in the next few years the progress made by groups such as the Poker Players Alliance will be able to expose this obvious Orwellian mind-thought as the sham and money tunnel that it is. |
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