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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

4065 stories by Philip Conneller

Pentagon, Lucky Box, loot boxes, military gambling, r/army

Pentagon Pulls ‘Lucky Box’ Machine After Operator’s Social Media Brag

Pentagon removes loot box-style vending machine after online criticism Machine sparked debate over gambling mechanics inside military headquarters Reddit users mocked novelty device as inappropriate for national security site The US Defense Department has removed a “Lucky Box” machine from the Pentagon...

Philip Conneller January 29, 2026
Tom Goldstein, Tobey Maguire, high-stakes poker, tax evasion trial, poker winnings

Tobey Maguire Testifies in Tom Goldstein’s $5.3 Million Poker Tax Trial

Maguire says he paid Goldstein $500K after a high-stakes poker dispute Prosecutors allege Goldstein hid millions in poker income from th IRS Filings describe massive poker wins followed by multimillion-dollar losses Hollywood star Tobey Maguire was called to testify Wednesday in the...

Philip Conneller January 29, 2026
Action 247, Advance Financial, Tennessee sports betting, payday loans, Cameron Sexton

Action 247 Shuts: Report Links Payday Loan Sportsbook to Top Tennessee Pol

Tennessee sportsbook shut after scrutiny over payday lending and gambling overlap Probe details lawmaker intervention after regulators suspended betting license Payday lender ties raised consumer protection and ethics concerns The bets are off at Tennessee’s controversial online sportsbook, Action 247, which closed...

Philip Conneller January 28, 2026
facial recognition arrest, wrongful arrest lawsuit, AI policing, Reno police lawsuit, misidentification case

Reno Cop Concedes Peppermill Facial Recognition Arrest was Wrongful

Officer concedes AI facial recognition alone never justified the Peppermill arrest New deposition prompts bid to add city of Reno as defendant Case continued despite ID verification and casino admitting misidentification A Reno police officer who arrested a truck driver at Reno’s...

Philip Conneller January 28, 2026
Maine tribal gaming, Wabanaki Nations, Churchill Downs lawsuit, iGaming law Maine, tribal sovereignty Maine

Churchill Downs Sues Maine Over ‘Race-Based’ Tribal iGaming Monopoly

Churchill Downs challenges Maine’s exclusive tribal iGaming authorization in federal court Lawsuit argues tribal monopoly violates Equal Protection clauses Operator warns online gaming will cannibalize land-based casinos and jobs Churchill Downs is suing Maine’s gambling regulator, arguing that the decision to grant...

Philip Conneller January 28, 2026
Kenneth Ching, Peppermill Casino, Reno, open and gross lewdness, suspended sentence

Ex-Nevada Prosecutor Gets Suspended Jail Term in Peppermill Lewdness Case

Former Washoe County prosecutor sentenced after public lewdness incident. Peppermill security video allegedly shows indecent exposure in valet area. Judge suspends 180-day jail term with counseling, sobriety conditions. A former Nevada prosecutor caught literally with his pants down at a Reno casino...

Philip Conneller January 27, 2026
Lumbee Tribe, North Carolina casino, federal recognition, Robeson County, tribal gaming

Lumbee Land Buy on I-95 Raises Prospect of North Carolina’s Fourth Casino

Lumbee Tribe acquires land in North Carolina on I-95 Purchase came as Congress moved to grant long-sought federal recognition Chairman says referendum first; plans range from resort to industrial park The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina quietly paid about $6 million for...

Philip Conneller January 27, 2026
Tony Bloom, StarLizard, George Cottrell, Nigel Farage, proxy betting accounts

EPL Club Owner Tony Bloom Admits Using Proxy Betting Account in £13M Lawsuit

Bloom admits StarLizard placed bets via Farage aide George Cottrell. Ex-employee Ryan Dudfield sues, claiming a 7% profit share. Bloom says Dudfield cashed out in 2022 and settled. Tony Bloom, the poker player, sports bettor, and English Premier League club owner, has...

Philip Conneller January 26, 2026
Florida Lottery, scratch-off tickets, Dennis Maxey, tax fraud, Pinellas County sentencing

Florida Senior Stole $600K to Feed Lottery Scratch-off Obsession

Accountant Dennis Maxey sentenced to 15 years for fraud scheme Prosecutors say theft funded decade-long Florida Lottery scratch-off habit Victims said he faked IRS payments and bogus loan promises A 79-year-old Florida accountant who spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on lottery...

Philip Conneller January 26, 2026
Corner flag and quadrant of a soccer pitch

Criminal Group ‘Took Over’ Club as 19 Arrested in Israeli Soccer Betting Probe

Police arrest 19 players and officials over alleged match-fixing scheme. Investigators allege illegal betting, bribery and money laundering involvement. Club chairman expresses shock; lawyers say suspects deny wrongdoing. Israeli authorities Monday arrested 19 people linked to a professional soccer club amid allegations...

Philip Conneller January 26, 2026