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WTO and USA
World Trade
Organization |
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WT/DS285/2
13 June 2003 |
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(03-3174) |
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Original: English |
united states – measures affecting the cross-border supply
of gambling and betting services
Request for the Establishment of a Panel by Antigua and Barbuda
The following communication, dated 12 June 2003, from the Permanent Delegation of Antigua and Barbuda to the Chairman of the Dispute Settlement Body, is circulated pursuant to Article 6.2 of the DSU.
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The Government of Antigua and Barbuda considers that certain measures of central, regional or local governments and authorities of the United States are inconsistent with the United States' commitments and obligations under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) with respect to the cross-border supply of gambling and betting services.
The rules applying to the cross-border supply of gambling and betting services in the United States are complex and comprise a mixture of state and federal law. The relevant laws are listed in Sections I and II of the Annex attached to this request. Although this is not always clear on the face of the text of these laws, relevant United States authorities take the view that these laws (separately or in combination) have the effect of prohibiting all supply of gambling and betting services from outside the United States to consumers in the United States. Section III of the Annex lists examples of measures by non‑legislative authorities of the United States applying these laws to the cross-border supply of gambling and betting services. The measures listed in the Annex only come within the scope of this dispute to the extent that these measures prevent or can prevent operators from Antigua and Barbuda from lawfully offering gambling and betting services in the United States under conditions of competition compatible with the United States' obligations.
The total prohibition of gambling and betting services offered from outside the United States appears to conflict with the United States' obligations under GATS and its Schedule of Specific Commitments annexed to the GATS (and in particular Sector 10.D thereof) for the following reasons:
(a) The central, regional or local authorities of the United States allow numerous operators of United States origin to offer all types of gambling and betting services in the United States (sometimes via exclusive rights or monopolistic structures). There appears to be no possibility for foreign operators, however, to obtain an authorization to supply gambling and betting services from outside the United States. This appears to conflict with the United States' commitments and obligations under GATS, including Articles VI:1, VI:3, VIII:1, VIII:5, XVI:1, XVI:2, XVII:1, XVII:2 and XVII:3 and its Schedule of Specific Commitments.
(b) The United States authorities also restrict international transfers and payments relating to gambling and betting services offered from outside the United States. Some of the non-legislative measures listed in Section III of the Annex are examples thereof: the measures described in the documents released by the Florida Attorney General and the New York Attorney General. These restrictions appear to violate Articles VI:1, XI:1, XVI:1, XVII:1, XVII:2 and XVII:3 of GATS and the United States' Schedule of Specific Commitments.
On 13 March 2003, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda requested consultations with the Government of the United States pursuant to Article 4 of the Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes (DSU) and Article XXIII of the GATS regarding measures affecting the cross-border supply of gambling and betting services. The United States, and Antigua and Barbuda held such consultations in Geneva on 30 April 2003 but these consultations did not resolve the dispute.
Accordingly, Antigua and Barbuda respectfully requests the Dispute Settlement Body to establish a panel pursuant to Article 6 of the DSU to examine this matter with the standard terms of reference as set out in Article 7.1 of the DSU.
ANNEX
I. United States Federal Legislation
The measures taken by the United States Congress which infringe on the obligations of the United States under the GATS include, without limitation, the following:
15 U.S.C. §§ 3001 to 3007
18 U.S.C. § 2
18 U.S.C. §§ 1081, 1084
18 U.S.C. §§ 1301 to 1307
18 U.S.C. § 1952
18 U.S.C. § 1953
18 U.S.C. § 1955
28 U.S.C. §§ 3701 to 3704
39 U.S.C. § 3005
II. State and Territorial Legislation
The measures taken by the various States and Territories of the United States which infringe on the obligations of the United States under the GATS include, without limitation, the following:
Alabama
Ala. Code §§ 13A-12-20 to 13A-12-31 (1977).
Alaska
Alaska Stat. § 05.15.180 (1997).
Alaska Stat. §§ 11.66.200 to 11.66.280 (1978).
Arizona
Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 13-3301 to 13-3312 (2001).
Arkansas
Ark. Stat. Ann. §§ 5-66-101 to 5-66-119 (1987).
California
Cal. Penal Code §§ 319-337z (West Supp. 2003).
Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 19800-19807 (West. Supp. 2003).
Colorado
Colo. Const. art. XVIII, § 2.
Colo. Rev. Stat. §§ 18-10-101 to 18-10-108 (1999).
Colo. Rev. Stat. §§ 12-47.1-101 to 12-47.1-106 (1996).
Connecticut
Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 53-278a to 53-278g (2001).
Delaware
Del Const. art. 2, §17.
Del. Code Ann. tit. 11, §§ 1401-32, 1470-73 (2002).
District of Columbia
D.C. Code Ann. §§ 22-1701 to 22-1712 (2001).
Florida
Fla. Stat. §§ 849.01 to 849.46 (2000).
Georgia
Ga. Const. art. 1, § 2.
Ga. Code Ann. §§16-12-20 to 16-12-62 (2003).
Hawaii
Haw. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 712-1220 to 712-1231 (Michie 1973).
Idaho
Idaho Const. art. III, § 20.
Idaho Code §§ 18-3801 to 18-3810 (1992).
Illinois
Ill. Rev. Stat. ch. 720, §§ 5/28-1 to 5/28-9 (1993).
Indiana
Ind. Code §§ 35-45-5-1 to 35-45-5-8 (1998).
Iowa
Iowa Code §§ 725.5 to 725.16 (1993).
Kansas
Kan. Crim. Code Ann. § 21-4303 to 21-4308 (1995).
Kentucky
Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 528.010 to 528.120 (Baldwin’s 1974).
Louisiana
La. Const. art. XII, § 6.
La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 14:90.- .4 (West 1986).
Maine
Me. Rev. Stat. Ann., tit. 17, §§ 330-347 (1983).
Me. Rev. Stat. Ann., tit. 17, §§ 2305-2306 (1983).
Maryland
Md. Code Ann., Crim. Law, §§12-101 to 12-307 (2002).
Massachusetts
Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 271, §§ 1-50 (West 2000).
Michigan
Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. §§ 750.301-750.315a (West 1990).
Minnesota
Minn. Stat. Ann. §§ 609.75-609.763 (Supp. 2003).
Mississippi
Miss. Code Ann. §§ 97-33-1 to 97-33-203 (1999).
Missouri
Mo. Ann. Stat. §§ 572.010-572.125 (West 1995).
Montana
Mont. Const. art. III, §9.
Mont. Code Ann. §§ 23-5-101 to 23-5-810 (1993).
Nebraska
Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 28-1101 to 28-1117 (1995).
Nevada
Nev. Rev. Stat. § 202.450 (1999).
Nev. Rev. Stat. § 463.160 (2001).
New Hampshire
N. H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 647:2 (1999).
New Jersey
N.J. Const. art. IV, § 7.
N. J. Stat. Ann. §§ 2A:40-1 to 2A:40-9 (2000).
N. J. Stat. Ann. §§ 2C:37-1 to 2C:37-9 (1995).
N. J. Stat. Ann. § 5:5-63 (1996).
N. J. Stat. Ann. §§ 5:12-1 to 5:12-210 (1996).
New Mexico
N.M. Stat. Ann. §§ 30-19-1 to 30-19-15 (1978).
New York
N.Y. Const. art. I, §9.
N.Y. Executive Law §§ 430-439a (McKinney 1996).
N.Y. Penal Law §§ 225.00-225.40 (McKinney 1999).
N.Y. General Obligation Law §§ 5-401 to 5-423 (McKinney 2001).
North Carolina
N. C. Gen. Stat. §§ 14-289 to 14-309.4 (1994).
North Dakota
N.D. Const. art. 11, § 25.
N.D. Cent. Code § 12.1-28-01 to 12.1-28-02 (1987).
Ohio
Ohio Const. art. XV, § 6.
Ohio Rev. Code Ann. §§ 2915.01-2915.06 (1996).
Oklahoma
Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 3A, § 205.6 (West 1993).
Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 21, §§ 941-993 (West 2002).
Oregon
Or. Rev. Stat. §§ 167.108-167.170 (2001).
Pennsylvania
Pa. Stat. Ann. tit. 18, § 911 (Purdon 1998).
Pa. Stat. Ann. tit. 18, § 5513 (Purdon 2000).
Pa. Stat. Ann. tit. 66, § 2902 (Purdon 2000).
Rhode Island
R.I. Const. art. VI, § 22.
R. I. Gen. Laws §§ 11-19-1 to 11-19-45 (1993).
R. I. Gen. Laws § 11-51-1 to 11-51-2 (1979).
South Carolina
S.C. Code Ann. §§ 16-19-10 to 16-19-160 (Law Co-op. 1996).
South Dakota
S.D. Codified Laws §§ 22-25-1 to 22-25-51 (Michie 1976).
S.D. Codified Laws § 22-25A-1 to 22-25A-15 (Michie 2000).
Tennessee
Tenn. Const. art. XI, § V.
Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 39-17-501 to 39-17-509 (1989).
Texas
Tex. Penal Code Ann. §§ 47.01 to 47.10 (West 2003).
Utah
Utah Code Ann. §§ 76-10-1101 to 76-10-1109 (1998).
Vermont
Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 13, §§ 2133-2156 (1957).
Virginia
Va. Code Ann. §§ 18.2-325 to 18.2-340 (Michie 1992).
Washington
Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 4.24.070 (West 1988).
Wash. Rev. Code Ann. §§ 9.46.010 to 9.46.903 (West 1998).
West Virginia
W. Va. Code §§ 61-10-1 to 61-10-5 (1970).
Wisconsin
Wis. Const. art. IV, § 24.
Wis. Stat. Ann. §§ 945.01-945.13 (West 2001).
Wyoming
Wyo. Stat. §§ 6-7-101 to 6-7-104 (1996).
Guam
9 Guam Code Ann. §§ 64.10 to 64.22A (2003).
Puerto Rico
P.R. Laws Ann. tit. 33, §§ 1241 to 1259 (1949).
U.S. Virgin Islands
V.I. Code Ann. tit. 14, §§ 1224-1226 (1985).
V.I. Code Ann. tit. 32, §§ 602-646 (2001).
III. Other United States Federal and State Actions or Measures
Other actions or measures taken by United States Federal and State administrative agencies, officials and judiciary which infringe on the obligations of the United States under the GATS include, without limitation, the following:
United States
United States v. Cohen, 260 F.3d 68 (2nd Cir. 2001), cert. denied, 122 S. Ct. 2587 (2002).
Florida
Florida Attorney General, Press Release: Western Union Cuts Off Sports Betting Accounts (December 23, 1997).
Kansas
Op. Att’y Gen. No. 96-31 (March 25, 1996).
Kansas Attorney General, Internet Gambling Warning (visited March 13, 2003)
<www.accesskansas.org/ksag/contents/consumer/internetwarning.htm>
Michigan
Michigan Gaming Control Board, Frequently Asked Questions: Is it Legal to Gamble Over the Internet in Michigan <www.michigan.gov/mgcb/0,1607,7-120-7863-19182--F,00.html>
Minnesota
Minnesota Attorney General, Statement of Minnesota Attorney General on Internet Jurisdiction (visited March 13, 2003) <www.jmls.edu/cyber/docs/minn-ag.html>
New York
Vacco ex rel. People v. World Interactive Gaming Corp., 714 N.Y.S.2d 844, 854 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. 1999).
New York Attorney General, Press Release: Ten Banks End Online Gambling With Credit Cards + Spitzer Hails Establishment of New Banking Industry Standard (11 February 2003).
New York Attorney General, Press Release: Agreement Reached with Paypal to Bar New Yorkers from Online Gambling + Campaign Against Illegal Gambling Web Site in New York Continues (21 August 2002).
Attorney General of the State of New York, Internet Bureau, In the matter of PayPal, Inc., Assurance of Discontinuance (16 August 2002).
New York Attorney General, Press Release: Financial Giant Joins Fight Against Online Gambling + Leading Credit Card Issuer Agrees to Block Key Internet Transactions (14 June 2002).
Attorney General of the State of New York, Internet Bureau, In the matter of Citibank (South Dakota), N.A., Assurance of Discontinuance (21 June 2002).
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