Mandelson's Approach to Online Casinos
The global disagreement concerning the United State’s online casino gambling ban
has taken a step forward with EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson coming to
the U.S. to pursue negotiations in Washington and other U.S. politicians. Tops
on Mandelson’s list was to persuade Congress to neutralize or repeal the 2006
online casinos gambling ban (the UIGEA) and secondly, Mandelson made a point to
speak with Barney Frank about Franks alternative legislation, the Internet
Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act (IGREA). The EU is in a position to
demand heavy compensation claims for the U.S. if the U.S. Trade Representatives
do not compromise with the EU in the compensation dispute.
Mandelson clearly addressed the U.S. Congress last week and outlined the EU’s
current stance on the compensation negotiations. Negotiations have stalled
several times between the EU and the U.S., so Mandelson is taking the initiative
to directly approach the U.S. Congress rather than “dance” around terms of the
compensation claims so-to-speak. Essentially, though the EU is willing to accept
alternative trade agreements that account for the alleged $100 billion,
Mandelson’s approach in Washington was instead to suggest regulating the online
casinos in the U.S.
And while Mandelson is clearly approaching the issue from the standpoint that
the EU is willing to compromise with the U.S. concerning online casino
compensation claims, he also towed a hard line in stating that the EU will not
submissively accept the U.S.’s new stance on internet gambling. In an address to
the U.S. Congress: "The EU is beginning to transform itself from an internal
market into an outward looking political actor - as President Sarkozy reflected
in his speech to Congress this week. The EU and the US cannot dictate every
contour of the global age, but that does not mean we will be dictated to
either." |