Antigua and Barbuda’s finance minister said he is hopeful an international ruling giving his nation the right to impose limited trade sanctions against the U.S. will push Washington to resolve a long-running dispute over Internet gambling.

The World Trade Organization on Friday backed Antigua’s request to target U.S. services, copyrights and trademarks in retaliation for a U.S. online betting ban — but will allow it to impose only $21 million in annual trade sanctions.

Finance Minister Errol Cort described the WTO’s decision as a setback for his twin-island nation, which had sought to apply $3.4 billion in retaliatory measures against U.S.

Still, the ruling could pave the way for resolution, he stressed.

“We think that this decision, as terribly flawed as it may be, should still have the desired result of getting the U.S. to sit down with us and seek an amicable resolution,” Cort said in a statement on Friday. “We look forward to meeting with the U.S. delegation in the very near future.”

Neither the U.S. nor Antigua can appeal the WTO decision.

Antigua accuses the U.S. of crippling its gaming industry by banning Americans from placing online bets with gambling operators, including those based in the Caribbean nation. It sought impose trade sanctions in retaliation for lost revenue.

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Author Contact Info: Anika Kentish, Associated Press