In a statement issued by the Antiguan government last week, Cort said that the jurisdiction will receive approval in due course given that Antigua and Barbuda's regulatory and licensing objectives are parallel to the United Kingdom's intended remote gaming regulatory regime which promotes the prevention of underage gaming, protection of the vulnerable, fairness in all games and the combating of illicit activities and financial crimes.

Only two jurisdictions have been initially recommended for approval, namely those of Alderney and the Isle of Man. Applications from Antigua and Barbuda and Kahnawake (Canadian Reservation) are still receiving consideration, whilst applications from Alexander (Canadian Reservation), Tasmania (Australia) and Netherlands Antilles have been rejected by the Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport, James Purnell.

Director of Gaming Ms. Kaye McDonald underscored the Minister of Finance's sentiments with respect to the jurisdiction's regulatory and licensing framework and furthermore believes that the application process provides an opportunity for governments and regulators to work collectively to continuously improve the regulatory environment associated with remote gaming.

Minister Cort also observed that the UK's "whitelisting" is an ongoing process and stated that the Government looks forward to working with the United Kingdom with respect to the jurisdiction's application and also with other governments across the globe to further develop international standards in recognition of this most important industry.