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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

4213 stories by Philip Conneller

Poker Dealer Dodges Prison for Inside Job at Dublin’s ‘Fitz’ Card Club
January 25, 2023

Poker Dealer Dodges Prison for Inside Job at Dublin’s ‘Fitz’ Card Club

A former poker dealer at the now-shuttered Fitzwilliam Card Club in Dublin, Ireland, has avoided prison for helping a robber target his ex-employer in a €50K raid. David Wright, 36, admitted informing the crook about...

Written by Philip Conneller
Alleged Poker Cheat Mike Postle Got Paid After Beau Rivage Court Order Came Too Late
January 23, 2023

Alleged Poker Cheat Mike Postle Got Paid After Beau Rivage Court Order Came Too Late

Accused poker cheat Mike Postle was paid his $32,703 winnings last week for a seventh-place finish at the Million Dollar Heater  at the Beau Rivage Casino in Biloxi, Miss.  That's contrary to earlier reports, and...

Written by Philip Conneller
Harrah’s SoCal Rincon Tribe Breaks Free of State Gaming Oversight
January 23, 2023

Harrah’s SoCal Rincon Tribe Breaks Free of State Gaming Oversight

The Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians has become the first tribal operator in California to free itself from the regulatory oversight of the state. A spokesperson for California Gov. Gavin Newsom confirmed to The San Diego...

Written by Philip Conneller
Donald Trump Snapped with Philly Mob Boss Joey Merlino at Florida Golf Course
January 23, 2023

Donald Trump Snapped with Philly Mob Boss Joey Merlino at Florida Golf Course

Former US President Donald Trump posed for a picture with former (some say still) Philadelphia Mob boss Joey Merlino earlier this month. The image obtained by The Philadelphia Inquirer shows Trump, Merlino, and an unidentified...

Written by Philip Conneller
UK Jockey Banned from Horse Racing for ‘Throwing’ Races in Betting Scam
January 21, 2023

UK Jockey Banned from Horse Racing for ‘Throwing’ Races in Betting Scam

A UK jockey who rode roughshod over horse racing integrity rules has found himself banned from the sport for 15 years for his part in a “betting conspiracy.” The British Horse Racing Authority (BHA) determined...

Written by Philip Conneller
Ex-LA Councilman Admits Racketeering in Casino Chip Corruption Case
January 20, 2023

Ex-LA Councilman Admits Racketeering in Casino Chip Corruption Case

Former Los Angeles City Councilman José Huizar is expected to plead guilty Friday to federal charges related to a sprawling $1.5 million corruption scheme. Arrested in June 2020, Huizar previously denied being the center of...

Written by Philip Conneller
Reputed Kansas City Mob Figure Banned from Nevada Casinos Dies of COVID-19
January 20, 2023

Reputed Kansas City Mob Figure Banned from Nevada Casinos Dies of COVID-19

A reputed underboss of the Kansas City crime family, who was banned from all Nevada casinos because of his alleged Mob activities, died Tuesday after a long battle with COVID-19, The Kansas City Star reports....

Written by Philip Conneller
Veteran Poker Player Guilty of Sending White Powder to NY Gaming Commission
January 19, 2023

Veteran Poker Player Guilty of Sending White Powder to NY Gaming Commission

Two-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Brent Carter has admitted sending letters filled with white powder and making threatening phone calls to the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC), federal officials said Wednesday. The...

Written by Philip Conneller
TonyBet Slapped with £442K Fine for ‘Unfair’ Withdrawal Conditions
January 18, 2023

TonyBet Slapped with £442K Fine for ‘Unfair’ Withdrawal Conditions

European online sportsbook TonyBet has been fined £442,750 (US$547,000) by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) for “unfair” conditions in its small print that could have been designed to frustrate player withdrawals. The regulator said Wednesday...

Written by Philip Conneller
Alvin Chau, Fallen Suncity ‘Junket King’ Gets 18 Years in Prison
January 18, 2023

Alvin Chau, Fallen Suncity ‘Junket King’ Gets 18 Years in Prison

Alvin Chau, once one of the most powerful men in Macau’s gambling industry, was sentenced to 18 years in prison on Wednesday for 162 charges of fraud, illegal gambling, and criminal association. As chairman and...

Written by Philip Conneller