PartyGaming shares fall, California Senate debates poker bill

The FTSE 100 may have seen its first gains for five days yesterday but PartyGaming’s shares are down after reports claimed that their proposed merger with Bwin had hit the buffers. Though those claims were subsequently denied, the damage had already been done and the company’s price fell 8.5p to 242.5p. PartyGaming will be hoping to hear better news from today’s debate in the California Senate on a proposed online poker bill, which could permit it to legally operate in the US, unless the California Indian tribes get their way, that is. Read more.