WTO awards Antigua sanctions in U.S. gambling case

GENEVA, Dec 21 (Reuters) - Antigua and Barbuda are entitled to levy $21 million a year in sanctions against the United States for being shut out of the U.S. online gambling market, a World Trade Organisation (WTO) arbitrator ruled on Friday.

The tiny Caribbean nation can exercise the sanctions in intellectual property, such as films and music, for instance by lifting copyright protection, as well as in services, which includes sectors such as banking and telecommunications as well as gambling, he said.

Antigua had asked the WTO for permission to impose $3.44 billion in "cross-retaliation", allowing it to seek damages outside the original services sector. Washington had argued Antigua was entitled to only $500,000 in compensation. (Reporting by Jonathan Lynn)