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Reporter: 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.

Areas of Expertise

3799 stories by Philip Conneller

Tesco lottery

Lottery Winner Who Left Winnings in Shopping Cart Hunted

In Cambridgeshire, UK, the hunt is underway for a lottery winner named Barry who left a prize check for an undisclosed but “significant” sum in a supermarket shopping cart. The check was discovered by honest citizen Richard Haslop in his local branch...

Philip Conneller January 2, 2023
Kimesha Williams, Kawhi Leonard

Kawhi Leonard’s Big Sister Goes on Trial for Pechanga Casino Murder

The trial of two women accused of beating a senior citizen to death in a bathroom at the Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, Calif. is set to begin this week. Candace Tai Townsell, 42, and Kimesha Monae Williams, 38, both of Moreno...

Philip Conneller December 28, 2022
Hollywood Casino Toledo

Hollywood Casino Toledo Workers Expected to Strike Thursday Over Pay

Union leaders said Tuesday talks with the Hollywood Casino in Toledo, Ohio were moving “very, very, very slow,” making threatened strike action on Thursday at midnight increasingly likely. Around 400 casino workers are expected to walk off the job tomorrow unless a...

Philip Conneller December 21, 2022
Jared Golden

Maine Tribal Gaming Rights Chopped from Massive Federal Spending Bill

An amendment to a must-pass federal spending bill that would have established gaming rights for Maine’s tribes didn’t make the final cut in the US Senate this week. The sovereign rights amendment, introduced by US Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine, 2nd), was approved...

Philip Conneller December 21, 2022
Miccosukee Casino

Miccosukee Tribe Sues Insurer for $5M Stolen in ‘Ghost Credit’ Casino Scam

The Miccosukee Tribe of Florida is suing its insurance provider, Great American Insurance Company, for failing to pay out on the theft of over $5 million from its casino. The tribe was a victim of an elaborate embezzlement scheme engineered by video-gaming...

Philip Conneller December 21, 2022
VulcanVegas

Unlicensed VulcanVegas Must Repay German Gambler €14K, Cologne Court Rules

A judge in Cologne, Germany has ordered Cyprus-based gambling operator Brivio to repay €14,000 ($14,845) to a gambler. He lost the money on its German-language Vulcanvegas.com sportsbook between 2020 and 2022. During that time, Brivio wasn't licensed to operate in Germany. Therefore,...

Philip Conneller December 21, 2022
Martin Sargeant

Gambling Addiction No Excuse for ‘Greedy’ Church Official Who Stole £5.2M

An ex-con who bilked the Church of England out of £5.2 million (US$6.3 million) couldn't claim gambling addiction as a mitigating factor in his crime. Prosecutors said the main driver of former church official Martin Sargeant’s offending was “greed” and the desire...

Philip Conneller December 20, 2022
Oliver Bellenhaus, Markus Braun, Wirecard

Wirecard Trial Star Witness Blames CEO for ‘Massive Criminal Act’

The former head of Wirecard’s Dubai subsidiary admitted his complicity Monday in the widescale accounting fraud that led to the spectacular collapse of the German fintech giant. At the same time, he pointed the finger at his codefendant, ex-CEO Markus Braun. Oliver...

Philip Conneller December 20, 2022
Frank Salemme

‘Cadillac Frank:’ Former New England Mafia Boss Frank Salemme Dies in Prison at 89

Mafia boss Francis "Cadillac Frank" Salemme died in prison in Missouri last Tuesday at the age of 89, online records from the US Bureau of Prisons show. The cause of death is unspecified. Salemme led the Patriarca crime family in the early...

Philip Conneller December 20, 2022
Scott Harmier

Last Frontier Casino Stabbing Spree: New Details of ‘Chuckling’ Attacker

The man arrested last week on suspicion of carrying out a “random, unprovoked” knife attack during a poker game at a Washington State casino has a lengthy criminal record, including numerous convictions for assault. That’s according to prosecutors who described Scott Harmier,...

Philip Conneller December 19, 2022