The Minister for Finance and the Economy has hit out at the ‘US contravention of International law’ following the FBI’s indictments against 11 defendents including the founders of PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker on charges of fraud, money laundering and running illegal online gaming operations. It had been suggested that the US would review legislation to make online gaming including bingo, poker and casino games illegal this year however actions by the FBI earlier this week suggest the timescales may now be extended.

The Honourable Harold Lovell, claims the actions of the US authorities to shut off competition is a 'violation of international law.' He added: "I am not aware of any other situation where a member of the World Trade Organisation has subjected persons to criminal prosecution under circumstances where the World Trade Organisation has expressly ruled that to do so is in breach of an international treaty."

Mark Mendel, legal counsel for Antigua added: "What the United States has attempted to cloak as a moral issue is now clearly nothing but economic protectionism at its worst."

"simply cannot continue to prosecute persons for engaging in legitimate international commerce."

Mark Mendel suggested that Antigua was looking at asking the World Trade Organisation to looking into the actions of the US.