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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." |
