Online gaming company BETonSPORTS, whose chief executive officer was detained in the United States on Sunday, said yesterday it faced a case over taking sports bets there.

The group said it had been unable to contact chief executive officer David Carruthers but had seen a US indictment "alleging various criminal acts against multiple defendants".

It also said it faced a civil case ordering BETonSPORTS to stop taking sports bets in the United States and to return money held by US customers in their gaming accounts. BETonSPORTS, whose shares were suspended yesterday from London's junior AIM index, said a hearing in the case could be held within ten days. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) instructed four telephone companies to stop providing services to BETonSPORTS, the company said, citing the US Department of Justice.

Shares in the company dived 15 per cent on Monday after US authorities detained Mr Carruthers while changing planes in Dallas on Sunday on his way home from Britain to Costa Rica.

The rest of the sector also fell yesterday, with Sportingbet down 19 per cent at 0747 GMT, 888 Plc down eight per cent and PartyGaming down seven per cent.

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