The move was disrespectful and violates the rights of European Union online gambling companies and violates World Trade Organization treaties, Hawkswood went on to say.

While the BetonSports' of the world seem shady, PartyGaming is a reputable business as the RGA points to listing on the London Stock Exchange and the fact it holds license in a licensed European Union jurisdiction, Gibraltar, and more importantly, it was one of the first companies to withdraw services to the U.S. after UIGEA passage.

On top of that, none of Party's properties, such as PartyGaming, PartyPoker, PartyBets, PartyBingo and PartyGammon, offers sports betting.

"It’s amazing really that a company which has just been voted by the leading industry publication as ‘responsible operator of the year’ is the one that has been most targeted for this sort of enforcement activity while other businesses that are still active in the U.S. market, including notably U.S. operators, do not appear to be targeted in the same way," Hawkswood said.

"That this happens while the U.S. Internet gambling market, the biggest in the world, continues to grow and while U.S. companies are free to develop their businesses in Europe, is quite astonishing."