Areas of Expertise
3943 stories by Philip Conneller
Hunt for Missing Bomb Linked to Maltese Casino Tycoon on Trial for Journalist’s Murder
Maltese authorities are hunting for a bomb they believe was smuggled into the Mediterranean island-nation and hidden by a criminal group linked to the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. Caruana Galizia was killed in a car-bomb attack four years ago that...
New York’s Highest Court Orders Reargument in Daily Fantasy Sports Case
The New York Court of Appeals has ordered reargument in a case that will decide the fate of daily fantasy sports (DFS) in the state. Legal experts say the move could indicate the court is deadlocked on the issue. The court, the...
Five Indicted for $1.1M Atlantic City Casino Bogus Check Scam
Authorities in New Jersey have indicted five New York State residents for allegedly bilking Atlantic City casinos out of more than $1.1 million using a “sophisticated” fraudulent check scheme. Xiuhuan Zhang, 65, Qingtao Zhang, 53, Sen Ge, 29, Shuai Liu, 30, and Peng...
Marriott International Bails on Beleaguered Fontainebleau Project
Hotel giant Marriott International announced Thursday it had pulled out of the Las Vegas Strip project formerly known as the Fontainebleau and later The Drew Las Vegas. The Bethesda, Maryland-based group said it had “reached an amicable settlement” with current owner Fontainebleau...
Augustine Cahuilla Tribe Sues California Over ‘Excessive’ Gaming Compact Demands
One of California’s smallest Native American tribes is suing the state and its governor, Gavin Newsom, in a federal court. It accuses state negotiators of overreach during protracted compact talks. Consisting of only 16 members, the Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians (ABCI)...
Florida Cardroom Seminole Sports Betting Lawsuit Should Be Tossed, Says Interior Dept.
The US Department of the Interior (DOI) has asked a federal judge in Washington, D.C. to dismiss a lawsuit brought by two Florida card rooms. The suit seeks to halt the rollout of sports betting in the state. Wagering on sports becomes...
Internet Star Dan Bilzerian Sets $100M Heads-Up Poker Match Versus Billionaire
Instagram personality and poker player Dan Bilzerian says he has stumped his half of $100 million and is ready to play in what would be the biggest Heads-up poker game of all time. Speaking to Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast on Tuesday, Bilzerian...
‘Diamond Enterprise’ New York Crime Boss Pleads Guilty to Illegal Gambling, Racketeering
The head of a New York racketeering gang known as “the Diamond Enterprise” pleaded guilty Thursday in a federal court to a litany of charges. Prosecutors say the group ran a network of illegal gambling parlors in Brooklyn. Abduraman “Diamond” Iseni admitted...
UK Regulators Launch Probe into NFT-Powered ‘Fantasy Sports’ Platform Sorare
UK gambling regulators have said they are investigating fantasy soccer platform Sorare. The French startup recently became the darling of the red-hot NFT market with a $680 million cash injection led by SoftBank. Sorare enables users to trade soccer-player cards using NFTs...
Star Entertainment Exec Linked to Alleged $245M Corporate Fraud Fugitive
Star Sydney’s senior vice president of VIP gaming was cozy with an alleged corporate fraudster who is now a fugitive from Australian justice, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. The Herald reports that Star’s Mark Walker “maintained a secret and longstanding relationship”...