PartyGaming, the world’s biggest online gaming group, today revealed a 54 per cent jump in first-quarter sales on the back of a record number of new players.

The London-listed but Gibraltar-based internet poker specialist said revenues were $342.6 million (£193m) in the three months to March 31, compared with $222.6 million (£126m) a year earlier and comfortably beating expectations.

The company added that it signed up 263,254 new poker players during the quarter, 23 per cent more than the same three months a year earlier.

The amount of money made from each player increased to $18.5 in the first quarter of 2006 from $17.9 in the final quarter of 2005.

More than a third of the new sign-ups came from outside the United States, where the future of online gambling is under doubt as lawmakers propose legislation that would ban the increasingly popular pass-time.

However, PartyGaming added that more than 78 per cent of the company's first-quarter revenues came from the US, where bills introduced into Congress propose a ban on internet gambling and the use of credit cards to play online.

The company this morning said it aims to "over time" split trading 50-50 between players from the US and the rest of the world.

Investors warmed to this morning's figures, sending shares in the group 1 per cent higher to 153.25p in early deals.

Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, the broker, raised its 2006 earnings estimates for the group by 6.2 per cent, citing PartyGaming's strong trading and positive outlook.

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"[We have] seen continued strong growth in poker on the back of a record number of poker sign-ups ... whilst the introduction of PartyCasino.com two months ago, as part of the fully integrated Party-branded platform, has exceeded our expectations," Martin Weigold, finance director, said.

In February, PartyGaming in February introduced a new combined platform which allows multiple games to be played without requiring customers to log in each time and deposit funds in separate accounts.

The company has also sought to bring other traditional games - including backgammon and blackjack - to the web.

"The launch of our two new games and the promotion of PartyCasino.com should provide further impetus over the coming months ... the group remains confident of making good progress in the current year," the company said.

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