Antigua appoints online gambling expert as its special economic envoy

The government of Antigua and Barbuda has announced the appointment of Calvin Ayre as a Special Economic Envoy with responsibility for advising on economic cooperation and commerce between Antigua and Barbuda and other sovereign States where cybercurrency blockchain technology is being utilised.

Our readers will recall that Ayre recently cleaned his slate with the US government in a settlement associated with allegations involving online gambling.

The Antigua and Barbuda press release notes that Ayre will advise the government on the effective implementation of new technological developments in cryptocurrency and Bitcoin which have been adopted by leading companies in the United States, Australia, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, Canada, China, and the United Kingdom.

Ayre has already invested heavily in Bitcoin blockchain core technology and his e-Com technology processes more Bitcoin transactions than any other platform in the world today, the statement claims.

“The government of Antigua and Barbuda anticipates becoming an early leader in the Caribbean to compete in the international community in the provision of a legal platform for world-wide private sector activity utilising blockchain technology,” the press release advises.

“In addition to the work that his companies have done in research and development of blockchain technology and Bitcoin, Mr. Ayre has a wealth of knowledge in the internet gaming sector having pioneered the development of software support for online gaming, and subsequently establishing his own gaming operations under the popular Bodog brand.”

The release goes on to anticipate that Ayre’s efforts are expected to re-invigorate the Internet Gaming industry in Antigua and Barbuda which, in 1999, provided more than US$100 million to the economy and employed over 2,000 people.

The involvement of Ayre is part of the government’s initiatives to diversify the economy and create new and high paying jobs for its people.