[2Tone]

News of Dicks's detention overshadowed strong results from PartyGaming, which said core profit rose 47 percent in the first six months of the year to $380 million and stressed it was reducing its dependence on the U.S. market.

PartyGaming said it whittled down the percentage of revenues it takes from the United States to 77 percent in the first half, from 86 percent a year earlier.

PartyGaming has been trying to reduce its U.S. exposure for over a year, partly as a response to attempts by some U.S. politicians to get Internet gaming banned.

PartyGaming Chief Executive Mitch Garber told a conference call on Thursday that the anti-gambling bill, backed by Rep. Bob Goodlatte, faced opposition in the Senate, and time was running short ahead of U.S. elections.

"Time is in short supply, and the bill continues to face opposition, but this is politics, and we are not complacent, and the outcome remains uncertain," he said.