27-08-2007 Decision to withdraw gambling from GATS will cost the US tens of billions dollars

Antigua's head counsel Mark Mendel told the Antigua Sun the island's total claims against the United States in the WTO internet gambling dispute could surpass $7 billion, which have to be added to the $15 billion claim filed by the European Union and to the other claims filed by Australia, Canada, India, Macao and Japan.

Mendel also said that while meetings with USTR's representatives led to no progress, the amount in sanctions requested by Antigua is justifiable and completely defensible.

"It’s a massive number but, after talking to the economists and going through everything, it is a very realistic number," Mendel told the Antigua Sun.