(BRUSSELS) - A European online gaming trade association lodged a complaint on Thursday with the European Commission over a US ban on online gambling.

The Remote Gambling Association accused the US Department of Justice of discriminating against its members, by enforcing the ban against foreign online gambling companies while allowing US rivals to do business.

"We have been left with no choice but to pursue all legal avenues available to challenge the US Department of Justice for its discriminatory enforcement activities against European online gaming operators," said the association's chief Clive Hawkswood.

It is now up to the Commission to investigate the complaint and decide what action to take.

The United States said on Monday it would widen access to some of its services to compensate the European Union, Japan and Canada in order to settle a World Trade Organisation dispute over the US ban on online gambling.

But the association said that the deal "does not address discriminatory and protectionist US practices against European and other foreign online operators in the form of selective prosecution."

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