Barney Frank Addresses EU Request to Drop Online Gambling Ban

Yesterday's statement by the European Union asking US officials to drop the prohibition of online gambling led to Barney Frank stating that the EU situation is just another of many reasons to regulate the industry.

Yesterday, the European Union officially asked the US to withdraw its ban of online gambling sites. Today, Representative Barney Frank released a statement addressing the concerns of the EU and the need to repeal the UIGEA.

“This is further argument for repealing the law which currently restricts the personal freedom of American adults to gamble online," says Frank. The EU is arguing that US policy discriminates against foreign Internet casinos and violates global trade compacts.

"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,” added Frank of the EU investigation which led to the request.

Frank has authored legislation to remove the UIGEA and regulate online gambling in the US. Arguments for Frank's bills extend from creating a huge new revenue source, to meeting international trade obligations, to allowing the greatest possible personal freedom.

EU authorities noted they have the right to seek significant damages, with claims as high as $100 billion, before the World Trade Organization, but would prefer to negotiate a friendly settlement with the Obama administration.