Home / Poker News November 2008 / Antigua and Barbuda added to the UK’s list of approved gambling jurisdictions
Antigua and Barbuda added to the UK’s list of approved gambling jurisdictions
Posted by: James Carter. - Mon, 2008-11-10 12:46
Antigua and Barbuda has recently been added to the list of locations the UK endorses as far as gambling and online gambling goes.
The tiny island nation has this way become the second Non EU recipient of the above named honor in addition to Tasmania.
The addition of Antigua and Barbuda will go into effect starting November 21st, and it will not only mean that online gambling and poker websites based in Antigua will be able to legally offer their services to UK based customers, it will also mean that as many as 96 such websites and online entities will be allowed to advertise their services in the UK.
Whether or not this decision on the part of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) will open the way for other countries and territories seeking similar recognition (and the advantages that it brings) remains to be seen. The Kahnawake Reserve in the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake, which is home to one of online gambling’s most prominent authorities – the Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC) - is yet to receive such a “whitelist” approval.
Antigua’s Minister of Finance has addressed the issue in obviously favorable terms, pointing it out that given the current opportunity Antigua is looking forward to expand its remote gaming industry for its existing licensees as well as through the welcoming of other gambling brands. The ASA’s ruling is the first concrete result of Antigua’s ongoing efforts to have its remote gambling industry recognized by other countries. The dispute That Antigua and Barbuda is having with the U.S . on account of the latter’s discriminatory actions towards online gambling companies based in the tiny island country remains unsolved even after having received WTO arbitration and it will probably remain so until something is done about the increasingly change-prone UIGEA.
Other Caribbean countries, such as Bermuda have been reluctant to open up for the online gaming industry themselves, despite the fact that it offers an excellent growth-potential industry for such tiny nations.
Bermuda is admittedly mindful of the reactions such a move would provoke from the American authorities.
