Casino.org logo Main menu

Philip Conneller

In Philip Conneller’s eight years with Casino.org, he has covered the gaming industry from Las Vegas to Macau and everything in between. He currently focuses his coverage on gaming law, white-collar crime, global money laundering, tribal gaming, politics, and regulation.

Philip was the original features editor for poker’s Bluff Magazine and editor for Bluff Europe, which he helped launch. His writing has also been featured in ESPN, Forbes, Time Out, The Sun, and The Daily Star, as well as iGaming Business, eGaming Review, and numerous other industry news and tech websites.

His news stories for Casino.org/news have been linked by The Washington Post, The Daily Mail, People Magazine, and Jimmy Fallon's Tonight Show, among many others.

Philip once won $20,000 with 7-2 off-suit. He has been reprimanded for unwittingly playing Elton John’s piano on two separate occasions on both sides of the Atlantic.

He became a writer because he is a lousy pianist.

Philip lives outside London with his wife and children, where he spends his time agonizing about Arsenal FC.

Contact Philip at philip.conneller@casino.org.

Avatar photo

Senior Reporter

Expert since 2018

4211 stories by Philip Conneller

Stronach Group Threat to Close Down Santa Anita Blows Up in its Face
March 25, 2024

Stronach Group Threat to Close Down Santa Anita Blows Up in its Face

Last week, the owner of Southern California’s Santa Anita Racetrack threatened to close the famous venue if the state Horse Racing Board (CHRB) voted to grant racing dates for a meeting in Northern California. On...

Written by Philip Conneller
Family of San Bernardino Man Shot by Police at Gambling Den Gets $4M
March 25, 2024

Family of San Bernardino Man Shot by Police at Gambling Den Gets $4M

The family of a Black man shot to death by police outside an illegal online gambling den in San Bernardino, Calif., in July 2022 has received a $4 million settlement from the city, The San...

Written by Philip Conneller
Some 186 DraftKings Employees Seek Transition to Fanatics, Report Claims
March 22, 2024

Some 186 DraftKings Employees Seek Transition to Fanatics, Report Claims

Since sportswear retailer Fanatics branched out into sports betting in 2021, 186 DraftKings employees have applied to jump ship and join new the Fanatics sportsbook. That’s according to a filing this week to a federal...

Written by Philip Conneller
Gambling Addict Judge in New York State Shown Leniency After Embezzlement
March 21, 2024

Gambling Addict Judge in New York State Shown Leniency After Embezzlement

A former judge in Cayuga County, New York State, has been sentenced to probation after she admitted to dipping her fingers into court coffers. June Shepardson is a former town judge in Moravia, population 1,270, in New...

Written by Philip Conneller
USC Football Player Turned Drug, Gambling Crime Lord Released Early
March 21, 2024

USC Football Player Turned Drug, Gambling Crime Lord Released Early

Owen Hanson, the former USC football player who swapped college athletics for notoriety as an online gambling and drug-trafficking kingpin, was released early from a federal prison this week. Hanson was sentenced to 21 years...

Written by Philip Conneller
Riverside Resort Laughlin Faces Big Penalty for Alleged Security Mistreatment
March 20, 2024

Riverside Resort Laughlin Faces Big Penalty for Alleged Security Mistreatment

Riverside Resort & Casino in Laughlin, Nev., could be on the hook for $500K after it failed to inform regulators about some serious behavior by its security staff, The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. On Thursday,...

Written by Philip Conneller
Marina Bay Sands Cheaters May Have Cracked Baccarat Card Counting
March 19, 2024

Marina Bay Sands Cheaters May Have Cracked Baccarat Card Counting

A Malaysian man has pleaded guilty to being part of a gang that cheated the Marina Bay Sands out of S$433,730 (US$315k) at baccarat using a “secret formula” and hidden recording devices. Chai Hee Keong,...

Written by Philip Conneller
Guilty Plea Signals End to Iowa’s College Betting Probe
March 19, 2024

Guilty Plea Signals End to Iowa’s College Betting Probe

A University of Iowa men's basketball student manager pleaded guilty to underage gambling on Monday. Evan Schuster agreed to pay a $645 fine as part of a plea agreement, which led to a charge of...

Written by Philip Conneller
MGM Resorts Says Macau’s Foreigner-Only Gaming Zone Plan Was a Clunker
March 18, 2024

MGM Resorts Says Macau’s Foreigner-Only Gaming Zone Plan Was a Clunker

Efforts to introduce foreigner-only gaming zones at Macau casinos have fallen flat with international gamblers, according to MGM Resorts CEO and president Bill Hornbuckle. As first reported by Inside Asian Gaming, Hornbuckle said the experiment,...

Written by Philip Conneller
China Condemns Overseas Gambling as Breach of National Laws
March 18, 2024

China Condemns Overseas Gambling as Breach of National Laws

The Chinese government has warned its citizens that gambling in casinos outside of China is a violation of Chinese law. The Chinese embassy in Singapore on Monday "solemnly reminded" Chinese nationals in the city-state that...

Written by Philip Conneller