INVESTORS will get another glimpse at the health of the retail sector next week when a clutch of second-tier firms come to the market with updates.

Two of the biggest firms in the UK-based gaming sector will give an insight into how they plan to cope without customers from the United States.

Paradise Poker chain Sportingbet and Party Poker owner PartyGaming are both scheduled to issue trading updates, with the passing of legislation prohibiting online casino and poker bets certain to be the focus.

Sportingbet was first thrust into the spotlight when its now former chairman Peter Dicks was arrested under laws governing gambling by computer.

Mr Dicks will not now face trial but since then the company has been forced to sell its US operation for one US dollar - just as President George Bush was due to sign the Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.

Considering Sportingbet generated 70 per cent of its profits from the United States, the attention of full-year results tomorrow will be on where the company goes from here.

Matthew Gerard, from Investec Securities, said the business will focus on sports, casino and poker in Europe and Australia. It may also target markets in Asia and Latin America.

Investec forecasts pre-tax profits for the year to July 31 of é99.7m, up from é56.2m in 2005, while it estimates turnover will also have increased from é1.5bn to é2bn.

But this was achieved in happier times for the company, which was set up in 1998. It had more than 2.5 million registered customers in 200 countries, who placed more than one million bets a day on casino, poker, sports and virtual games.

PartyGaming will publish its third quarter key performance indicators on Friday - at which time it will also hold a conference call for analysts and investors. The company, which dropped out of the FTSE 100 Index on Wednesday, has stopped taking US bets, but is confident of growing in other regions.

Around 75 per cent of revenues came from the United States prior to the ban.

Clinton Cards has not found life easy since picking up the Bury-based Birthdays chain of stores almost two years ago.

Clinton paid é46.4m for its biggest rival on the high street just before the downturn in consumer spending in the UK sent sales and profits into reverse.

The company is continuing to trim the number of outlets in its portfolio, but there are pressures from supermarkets and higher operating costs on the high street.

This week it will detail its progress for the 18 months to July 30 as it changes financial year end from January to July, but suggestions are that it was bleak.

Analysts expect a profits figure of é5.9m for the year to July 30 - down from é17.8m in 2005 - as it accounted for costs linked to the Birthdays acquisition.

The World Cup offered JJB Sports a shot in the arm and investors will find out this week just how much money it made during the tournament. The Wigan-based company reports on the 26 weeks to July 31 - a period boosted by sales of replica kit, as well as a new licensing agreement with Glasgow Rangers Football Club.

JJB operates from 194 out-of-town superstores, 109 large high street stores and 135 smaller shops including four specialising in golf. It also has 32 health clubs, including six indoor football centres.

Life-for-like sales at the shops increased niine per cent during the first half while revenues from the health club arm also improved, this time by 41 per cent with a three per cent rise in club membership.

But there is some concern that gross profits on England shirts are well below expectations, although the figures will be boosted by contribution from other products.

UBS expects JJB Sports to report first half profits of é15m, compared with é18m during the same period in 2005.

Black cab maker Manganese Bronze will be in focus on Wednesday when investors will be looking for further signs of recovery at its full-year results.

A consensus of analysts is predicting pre-tax profits to come in at é2.5m, compared with é2.3m last year.

Retailer Mothercare will give details of the latest stage in its recovery on Thursday.

Nick Bubb, of Evolution Securities, is expecting good news with like-for-like sales growth of two per cent in the UK for the second quarter.

The warmer weather will have boosted sales of children's clothes while legislation on car seats introduced in September will have benefited Mothercare, he added.