Betting services fall under the WTO services chapter, about which an agreement was also reached. However, betting has been excluded by most member countries from their WTO offerings, and this has not changed in Hong Kong.

Trade negotiations will intensify in 2006, but it seems unlikely that any country would offer access to its gambling market, or that it will be pressured by other countries to do so.

IFHA will continue to call for full national integrity on gaming legislation and a complete exclusion of gambling from WTO agreements.

The last, agreed draft of the Ministerial declaration can be found at: http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/minist_e/min05_e/draft_text5_e.doc