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Last Updated: Friday, 20 October 2006, 17:07 GMT 18:07 UK
Partygaming dealt $250m US bill
Partygaming, laptop and cards
Online betting shares have been hit by legal action in the US
Online gambling group Partygaming has said that restructuring its business after pulling out of the US will cost it about $250m (£133m).

The firm suspended all operations in the US after President George W Bush signed a law which effectively made online gaming illegal.

The new law "fundamentally" changed its business, Partygaming said.

The firm added it was optimistic after non-US revenue rose by 158% between July and September, on a year ago.

However, Partygaming said that in the week since closing its US operations, revenues elsewhere fell 2%.

The US has historically represented the majority of the group's revenues and profits
Mitch Garber
Partygaming chief executive

Industry crackdown

Hundreds of millions of pounds have been wiped off Partygaming's share price recently.

The firm's shares touched 155 pence each earlier in the year, but have since plunged as the full impact of changes to US law emerged.

In Friday trading they lost 7.2% of their value to finish at 29p.

US lawmakers took the gambling industry by surprise when they agreed sweeping measures criminalising the transfer and handling of proceeds from online gambling.

Gibraltar-based Partygaming has focused on expanding outside the US, as the threat of a crackdown loomed.

"Whilst the US has historically represented the majority of the group's revenues and profits, I am pleased to report that our non-US business continued to deliver strong growth," chief executive Mitch Garber said.


SEE ALSO
Gaming firms exit US for just $2
13 Oct 06 |  Business
Gaming firms plan for US upheaval
13 Oct 06 |  Business
Gaming shares hit by US charges
18 Jul 06 |  Business
Poker boosts Partygaming revenue
18 Apr 06 |  Business

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