PartyGaming, SportingBet and other online gaming companies paid millions of dollars to Washington lobbyists linked to Jack Abramoff, the notorious super-lobbyist, to help them thwart US anti-gambling legislation.

Mr Abramoff's highly-public fall from grace and conviction on criminal corruption charges earlier this year - and the downfall of many of his associates - opened the door for the passage last weekend of a law that heand the companies staunchly opposed.