Areas of Expertise
3066 stories by Philip Conneller
Minnesota’s Running Aces Racino Adds More Casinos to RICO Suit
Minnesota harness racing track Running Aces has added two more casinos to a federal racketeering suit that claims tribal operators in the state are running “illegal” games. Last month, the Columbus, Minn.-based racino sued the Grand Casino Hinckley, Grand Casino Mille Lacs,...
Ohio Lottery Cyberattack Compromised 538K Customers
The Ohio Lottery has admitted that the names and social security numbers of more than 538K customers were compromised in a cyberattack on Christmas Eve last year. In a regulatory filing, the lottery said it concluded its investigation into the attack on...
$1.3B Mega Millions Jackpot Win Causing Rift in Maine Family
The “lottery curse” appears to be working its malevolent power on the winner of Maine’s all-time biggest lottery jackpot, poisoning the relationships between the winner, his parents, and the mother of his child. The anonymous $1.35 billion Mega Millions winner is suing...
888 Changes Name to Evoke in Company ‘Reset’
Online gambling giant 888 has officially changed its name to Evoke. Despite having distinctly girl-band vibes, the rebrand was approved emphatically by shareholders at the company’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Monday, with 284,646,548 votes for to 595,372 votes against. Evoke will...
‘Terror Squad’ Gang Member Convicted as Adult Gets 9½ Years in Casino Winner Killing
A juvenile convicted as an adult of the October 2019 manslaughter of a casino winner during a chilling home invasion in North Battleford, Canada, has been sentenced to nine and a half years in prison. The young offender, who cannot be named...
Accused in Vancouver Casino Money Launderer Slaying Sweats Verdict
Canadian prosecutors have urged a British Columbia Supreme Court Judge to convict a man accused of firing the bullet that killed casino money launderer Jian Jun Zhu in September 2020. Zhu died in a hail of gunfire as he dined with his...
Dragon Slaying Brigade ‘Terrorist’ Gambled Away Cash Meant for Bombs
The ringleader of a hardcore faction of Hong Kong pro-democracy protestors gambled away HK$300K (US$38K) that he was supposed to spend on bombs and weapons. Wong Chun-Keung is the former ringleader of the “Dragon Slaying Brigade,” which plotted to attack police with...
Former Rank Group CEO Henry Birch Eyed for Entain Job
Online gambling giant Entain is considering the appointment of the ex-CEO of Britain’s biggest land-based casino group as a replacement for previous boss Jette Nygaard-Andersen, who resigned late last year. Until 2018, Henry Birch was the head of the Rank Group, which...
Poker Player Doug Polk’s Plan for Largest Texas Card Room Goes Up in Smoke
The City of Farmers Branch, a Dallas suburb, has passed on the chance to host Texas’ largest poker room. On Tuesday, the city council voted 4-1 against an ordinance that would have legalized card rooms, paving the way for the proposed venue....
‘Real Housewives’ Star Ryan Boyajian Implicated in Shohei Ohtani Gambling Scandal
A mystery figure at the center of the betting scandal involving Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani and his interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, is a cast member of the Bravo reality TV series "The Real Housewives of Orange County," according to an ESPN report. Ryan...