Sportingbet came to the aid of the turbulent online gaming sector yesterday when it said growth rates for new online poker players were continuing to rise. The robust assessment came as it announced a sharp rise in pre-tax profits.

The group yesterday said its Paradise Poker operation generated a daily "rake" - or fees paid by players - of $431,000 (£251,000) in the first quarter, compared with $229,377 in the same period last year.