Antigua Government protested against U.S. attempts to ban online gambling. The small Caribbean country has been making efforts to establish its online gambling industry trying to compensate for its declining tourism industry.

Antigua efforts collided with the US, which bans wagering outside the states by electronic measures. In 2003, Antigua claimed the US ban is a breach of service sector commitments. Both the US and Antigua were pleased by the final decision released by the WTO Appellate Body in April 2005.

John Ashe, Antiguas representative to the WTO, was worried from the two U.S. legislative proposals to ban the online gambling industry. He said that the bills ignore the Dispute Settlement Body of the World Trade Organization decision.

The US representative claimed that according to WTO rules, states could decide to limit trade on moral basis. Even though the Appellate Body agreed to some of the U.S. logic, it said that regarding to horse racing betting, the discrimination between foreign and local operators has to end.