The history of gambling in Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda is one of the first jurisdictions in the world to legalize and license online gambling back in the mid-1990s. This step changed not only the local industry, but also the global Internet casino card, and later brought the country to the WTO halls in a high-profile dispute with the United States.

Early offline stage: casino for tourists

By the late 1980s, small casinos had formed in Antigua aimed at tourists and cruise passengers. One of the more prominent properties, King's Casino at St. John's Wharves, claims the opening in 1988; it subsequently became a "game shore" calling card for cruise passengers.

1994 breakthrough: Antigua pioneers online licensing

In 1994, the jurisdiction was one of the first in the world to issue licenses to interactive gaming and betting companies. It was a watershed moment: Antigua effectively ushered in an era of regulation of online gambling at the state level and became a benchmark for a host of future online gaming hubs. Today, the industry is overseen by the Directorate of Offshore Gaming as part of the FSRC.

Institutionalization: 2007 regulations and amendments

After the "pioneer" stage, the regulator enshrined the rules in detail: in 2007, Interactive Gaming and Interactive Wagering Regulations were published, which standardized the requirements for licenses (games/bookmaking), compliance, technical and audit procedures; in 2008, amendments followed. These acts became the foundation of a mature model of supervision.

Global outcry: Dispute with US at World Trade Organization

The rapid growth of offshore online operators in the 1990s and 2000s led to a conflict of interest with US law. In 2003, Antigua appealed the U.S. restrictions to the WTO (case DS285). The Panel and Appellate Body admitted non-compliance with a number of US GATS obligations; in 2007, an arbitrator determined the scale of the "damage" and granted Antigua the right to annually suspend TRIPS obligations for $21 million - a rare case of authorized "IP countermeasures." In 2013, the WTO confirmed the possibility of such a move; the dispute dragged on in subsequent years.

2010s: consolidation, compliance and regulatory haven image

In the 2010s, Antigua continued to position itself as a licensing jurisdiction with transparent application procedures and payment infrastructure for online operators. In practice, this meant a transition from the "wild growth" of the 1990s to more formal certification of RNG/providers, KYC/AML and reporting.

Modern offline scene

Offline casinos remain an element of the tourist economy (in particular, in the port area of ​ ​ St. John's), serving the flow of cruise tourists and guests of the island. The historical "old-timer" King's Casino publicly emphasizes continuity since the late 1980s and the modern format of games/sports book.

The significance of Antigua and Barbuda to the world history of online gaming

1. Regulatory pioneer: Early license issuance has set a precedent for dozens of jurisdictions, showing that Internet casinos can exist under state supervision.

2. Regulatory framework: 2007 + regulations set requirements for technical certification, reporting and player protection.

3. International law and trade in services: Case DS285 has become one of the most cited examples of the collision of national regulation of gambling and obligations to trade in services, including a unique measure - suspension of IP obligations.

Timeline of key milestones

1988 - King's Casino opens in St. John's (tourist and cruise orientation).

1994 - the start of issuing online licenses; Antigua is one of the world's first regulators.

2003-2007 - Antigua vs United States WTO dispute; right to suspend IP obligations up to $21 million/year.

2007-2008 - Interactive Gaming & Wagering Regulations and amendments come into force.

2013 - WTO confirmation of the possibility of IP countermeasures; the topic remains on the agenda later.

Antigua and Barbuda have gone from being compact tourist casinos at berths to being a historic pioneer of online regulation - with its own, mature regulatory framework and world-class precedent in WTO law. The experience cemented the country's image as a "regulatory haven" for internet gaming and shaped important lessons about the balance of national regulation, international trade in services and consumer protection.