Brits bristle at online gaming arrests
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TESS VIGELAND: Internet gambling executives in Britain have been warned: They risk extradition to the US for breaking American gaming laws. The warning comes after the arrest earlier this week of the head of a British online sports betting company. From London, Stephen Beard reports.
STEPHEN BEARD: The US Justice Department says any Internet betting company executive who does business with Americans is taking quite a gamble. They risk a long prison sentence.
Anti-gambling senators have reinforced the warning. They point out that the US could use its fast-track extradition treaty with Britain to drag British executives into an American court.
The treaty is highly controversial here. John Cridland of Britain’s main business organization says the treaty is causing anxiety among a wide range of British business people
JOHN CRIDLAND: We appear to be on shifting sands here. And it’s making people in the UK uncomfortable with the liabilities they may carry as managers. We want a level playing field.
Much of the controversy here about the treaty stems from the fact that only Britain has ratified it, so it is easier to extradite Britons to the US than Americans to Britain.
In London this is Stephen Beard for Marketplace.
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