Good Majorwager WTO article.
 

http://majorwager.com/frontline-584.html

Best one out in a while. It raises some new questions, but answers a few.
-When I was fretting about Antigua cutting a deal to be an exclusive market for US facing remote gaming, I completely forgot MFN. Two paragraphs in its there staring me in the face that they can't do that at all.

-Id dearly love to see what deal has been made with Japan, and how binding that is if the #s shoot up.

-I think the 15.5 bn EU number was the EU's number going in, but lobbying by the domestic gaming industry has led them to examine the methodology. Brussels is NOT D.C. Europe has a political class that isn't as hardcore lobbied as the US. Its a lot more behind the scenes and incestual how corruption works there. It appears the gaming industry is getting the ear finally of the elites in Brussels. If the mercantilists who run Trade policy there think its better to push for high compensation or open gaming access, we win. I may be off my pessimism that they will take a small scale services gesture. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img])

- Potential harm to Canada could be huge, but Stephen Harper isn't a fan of gambling or anything not part of James Dobson's lifeplan. He only has a minority gov't, so it may be more a procedural/bueraeucratic decision, which bodes better for us as they will be more pragmatic. If every Indian nation(however canucks designate tribal areas) is given the same weighting on potential as Kanahawke, they could be #2 in terms of claims.

What action can we take? The PPA should try as hard as possible since they are the DC presence to find out what is in that Japan agreement. We can maybe add lumber companies to a lobbying list? If Canada asks and gets treatment there, it could really damage the deal Harper put in place when he took office, and the US coudlnt do jackshit about it. Not much to do but wait and see if Antigua gets anywhere near 3.4bn.

Thats as close to professional newspaper journalism as I've seen from whats basically an affiliate/industry site. Good article and research.

Re: Good Majorwager WTO article.
 

Interesting read...good find. When is the "next step"?

Re: Good Majorwager WTO article.
 

Youd have to ask Jay. These meetings are pretty hush hush. Lots of delays and stalling. If youre in the flyby, Sallie James was listed as speaking at an event, but I get the feeling this issue isn't her main free trade concern. Next step is when Antigua's damages are announced.

Re: Good Majorwager WTO article.
 

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Interesting read...good find. When is the "next step"?

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Screw Major Wager!

They'll never get past the Wire Act foundation in US Law.

They want unrestricted on-line gambling and don't care one bit about legal poker except how it helps them get their big pot of gold.

That fight puts us not only up against B&M casinos but every major sports book in the world, not just US based.

The B&M's might be willing to allow on-line poker for the chance to get get a piece of the action, from a level playing field. What they consider a level playing field I don't know, but even they know unrestricted gaming is a pipe dream. Well at least in my lifetime.


D$D

Re: Good Majorwager WTO article.
 

This is a good article.

However, I am frustrated in general by the current lack of information and general inaction. I have made enough money the past few years playing online poker that I consider it to be a very significant component of my personal income. I would really like to make some long term plans for my life, but this is very difficult when I don't know if I can match my salary on the side playing poker. How is a man supposed to plan: the purchase of a home, career changes, grad school, and the start of a family when he has little idea of what he will be making next year?

It's been like this since the months leading up the UIGEA. When will it end? When will the online gambling climate stabilize? I need to make some big life decisions! Tomorrow, if playing poker and gambling online is made into a felony by the federal government, well at least I'll have a much clearer view of my future. True, I won't have online poker to rely on, but at least I can more accurately make the many life changing decisions I have before me.

Re: Good Majorwager WTO article.
 

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Interesting read...good find. When is the "next step"?

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There's a hearing in Geneva on Thursday the 18th.

Usually the Panel will issue written questions to both parties, some to be answered only by one, some to be answered by both. Both sides will turn in their homework about a week later.

That's it. Nothing left to do then but wait for a decision on the dollar value and type of sanctions. There are no further appeals.

Re: Good Majorwager WTO article.
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Interesting read...good find. When is the "next step"?

[/ QUOTE ]

There's a hearing in Geneva on Thursday the 18th.

Usually the Panel will issue written questions to both parties, some to be answered only by one, some to be answered by both. Both sides will turn in their homework about a week later.

That's it. Nothing left to do then but wait for a decision on the dollar value and type of sanctions. There are no further appeals.

[/ QUOTE ]

Jay, how would you handicap the various potential outcomes?

Re: Good Majorwager WTO article.
 

The US has three choices. Comply, settle, or face the sanctions.

The US is hoping Antigua won't be awarded viable sanctions. Are they confident or just don't have anything else to go on?

As the old saying goes, they are eyeball to eyeball and waiting for each other to blink.

I can't handicap it.

Re: Good Majorwager WTO article.
 

The Bush administration will not comply or settle. If Antiqua is granted its requested IP sanction, then IMO the DEMs will force compliance by a bill to repeal the UIGEA and exempt online gambling from federal gambling laws. This bill will be attached to a must pass legislation like Iraq war funding.
If Antiqua does not get its requested IP sanction, then it will have effectively lost its case and nothing will happen. In that event, why would Antiqua, or other small to medium sized nations, remain a member of the WTO?

Re: Good Majorwager WTO article.
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Interesting read...good find. When is the "next step"?

[/ QUOTE ]

There's a hearing in Geneva on Thursday the 18th.

Usually the Panel will issue written questions to both parties, some to be answered only by one, some to be answered by both. Both sides will turn in their homework about a week later.

That's it. Nothing left to do then but wait for a decision on the dollar value and type of sanctions. There are no further appeals.

[/ QUOTE ]

Any estimate on time frame for a decision?????