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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.

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Senior Reporter

Expert since 2018

4165 stories by Philip Conneller

Casino Closure Alert: Maverick Gaming to Shutter SeaTac Site and Lay Off 65 Workers Following Bankruptcy
April 23, 2026

Casino Closure Alert: Maverick Gaming to Shutter SeaTac Site and Lay Off 65 Workers Following Bankruptcy

Maverick closes SeaTac cardroom, laying off 65 employees Debt-fueled expansion collides with rising rates and weak returns Tribal-only sports betting deal shut out key revenue opportunity Maverick Gaming will shutter its Silver Dollar SeaTac Casino...

Written by Philip Conneller
Oklahoma Sports Betting Dies in Senate Despite Tribal Backing
April 23, 2026

Oklahoma Sports Betting Dies in Senate Despite Tribal Backing

Oklahoma Senate rejects tribal-backed mobile sports betting bill HB 1047 Dispute over gaming compacts and revenue sharing drives political divide Governor Kevin Stitt threatens veto amid moral and regulatory opposition A bill that would have...

Written by Philip Conneller
William Hill Refuses to Pay £1M Jackpot to UK Mom, Claiming App ‘Glitch’ Rendered Win Invalid
April 22, 2026

William Hill Refuses to Pay £1M Jackpot to UK Mom, Claiming App ‘Glitch’ Rendered Win Invalid

Thousands of players wrongly credited winnings due to major software glitch William Hill and 888 Holdings freeze accounts and seek fund returns Players explore legal action after life-changing wins suddenly revoked A UK mother’s dreams...

Written by Philip Conneller
New York Sues Crypto Giants Coinbase and Gemini in $3.4 Billion Prediction Market Crackdown
April 22, 2026

New York Sues Crypto Giants Coinbase and Gemini in $3.4 Billion Prediction Market Crackdown

New York sues Coinbase and Gemini over alleged illegal prediction markets State seeks billions, claiming platforms operate as unlicensed gambling services Crypto firms argue contracts are federally regulated derivatives, not gambling New York is the...

Written by Philip Conneller
UPDATE: MGM Fails to Settle With Rodman’s Ex-Agent Over Vegas VIP Ketamine Claim
April 21, 2026

UPDATE: MGM Fails to Settle With Rodman’s Ex-Agent Over Vegas VIP Ketamine Claim

Parties fail to settle alleged drink spiking in VIP casino Agent claims ketamine exposure led to $2 million gambling loss Judge allowed case to proceed before confidential settlement reached A case involving a high-stakes sports...

Written by Philip Conneller
Ex-Girlfriend’s Tip Leads to Massive $8M Illegal Betting Bust in Las Vegas
April 21, 2026

Ex-Girlfriend’s Tip Leads to Massive $8M Illegal Betting Bust in Las Vegas

Las Vegas man accused of running $8M illegal betting operation Used offshore Costa Rica site and local agents to take bets Hedged risk through Nevada sportsbooks before investigation and arrest A scorned ex-girlfriend’s tip led...

Written by Philip Conneller
Banned but Branded: Why Polymarket Is Paying $22M to Sponsor Lazio Despite Italy Ban
April 21, 2026

Banned but Branded: Why Polymarket Is Paying $22M to Sponsor Lazio Despite Italy Ban

Polymarket lands first-ever team sponsorship with Serie A club Lazio Deal highlights clash between Italian gambling laws and sponsorship strategies Global exposure outweighs lack of access for Italian users Prediction giant Polymarket is leaping into...

Written by Philip Conneller
‘Fraud-for-Fun’: Hacker Sentenced in $600K Plot to Raid DraftKings Accounts
April 20, 2026

‘Fraud-for-Fun’: Hacker Sentenced in $600K Plot to Raid DraftKings Accounts

Hackers accessed DraftKings accounts using stolen login credentials Fraudsters added payment options and used small deposits to verify access Incident highlights rising risks in online betting account security A Memphis man was sentenced to 30...

Written by Philip Conneller
Ninth Circuit Probes Prediction Market Legality Under Federal Law
April 20, 2026

Ninth Circuit Probes Prediction Market Legality Under Federal Law

Ninth Circuit weighs whether prediction markets are finance or gambling Nevada argues sports-event contracts violate state gambling laws Judges question if federal rules already ban “gaming” contracts Are prediction markets a type of financial product...

Written by Philip Conneller
Lumbee Tribe to Vote on Casino Plan After Federal Recognition
April 20, 2026

Lumbee Tribe to Vote on Casino Plan After Federal Recognition

Lumbee Tribe to vote on casino gaming after federal recognition win Casino could create up to 3,000 jobs locally Robeson County site along I-95 offers strategic location advantage With federal recognition secured, North Carolina’s Lumbee...

Written by Philip Conneller