Frank Statement on European Commission's Report on US Internet Gambling Laws

6/10/09 - House Financial Services Committee - View Source

Washington, DC - Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank released the following statement in response to a European Commission report released today that investigated U.S. internet gambling laws and their enforcement against European Union companies. The report concludes that the U.S. measures constitute an obstacle to trade that is inconsistent with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. It also concludes that U.S. laws deny access and discriminate against foreign suppliers of gambling and betting services inconsistently with U.S. WTO obligations.

“This is further argument for repealing the law which currently restricts the personal freedom of American adults to gamble online.  This report particularly shows the inconsistency of the Bush Administration, which frequently argued we had to abide by the WTO even when it cost American jobs, but ignored the WTO when it didn’t fit the conservatives’ ideological beliefs.”