“The online poker specialist was the best-performing stock in the FTSE-100 following news that some legislators in Washington were opposing attempts to crack down on web-based betting.

“Bills introduced in Congress had proposed curbs on some forms of internet gambling and the use of credit cards to pay for online flutters.

“?However, the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act, proposed by Republican senator Bob Goodlatte came under fire from law-makers at a meeting of a subcommittee of the House of Representatives. Some Congressmen were concerned that the bill clamped down on some forms of betting while allowing others to continue.

“With no date set for a further hearing for the bill, sector watchers said the odds of it making it onto the statute book had lengthened, in a development that would be welcomed by the likes of PartyGaming?”