It seems remarkable that, almost 18 months after the United States imposed a ban on internet gambling, foreign operators are still in negotiations with the US Department of Justice about a legal settlement. Now we know why it is taking so long: those nice folk at the DoJ want the likes of Sportingbet's boss Andy McIver to agree to a short spell behind bars.

This is extraordinary on a number of levels, not least because most of the operators involved are listed companies with licences from some of the world's strictest jurisdictions. The negotiations also relate to the period before the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act was passed in October 2006, when the worst that could be said about online gambling was that it was a grey area.

Most remarkable of all, however, is the supine attitude of the British Government, which has done little or nothing to defend the interests of its citizens in this matter. David Carruthers, the Scottish former chief executive of BetOnSports, is still languishing under house arrest in St Louis on racketeering and conspiracy charges, but his only crime may be a lack of judgment in flying to Dallas.

Why are London-listed companies such as Sportingbet, PartyGaming and 888 Holdings so keen to reach a settlement that, at the very least, will cost them tens of millions of dollars?

There are two main reasons. First, those connected with these companies want to be able to travel to America without fear of arrest.

Secondly, and more importantly, they want to wipe the slate clean so that, if the ban is ever lifted, they can return to the biggest gambling market in the world. The odds on that happening might just shorten if Barack Obama ousts the Republicans from the White House.

Not that America is the only country targeting foreign internet gambling companies. Two Turkish employees of Sportingbet were detained last week and remain in prison, while France, Israel and the Netherlands have all detained industry executives. In most cases, the arrests can be attributed to good old-fashioned protectionism, although it is good to see that, in the case of France, the threat of a referral to the European Court of Justice has forced the authorities to agree to dismantle at least part of the state betting monopoly.

Gambling may be a mug's game for punters. But as events of the past 18 months show, it is also something of a political lottery for the operators.

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