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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

4180 stories by Philip Conneller

UK Betting Shops More Likely Located in Poorest Areas, Study Finds
August 23, 2021

UK Betting Shops More Likely Located in Poorest Areas, Study Finds

Betting shops in the UK are ten times more likely to be found in deprived communities than affluent areas. That’s according to a new study by the University of Bristol that highlights the disproportion between...

Written by Philip Conneller
PA Media Horse Racing Analyst Cooked Results to Win Bets
August 19, 2021

PA Media Horse Racing Analyst Cooked Results to Win Bets

A former horse racing data analyst at the UK’s national news agency appeared in court this week accused of fraudulently altering race results for personal gain. Jack Bentham, 24, of East Yorkshire, worked for PA...

Written by Philip Conneller
Tribal Gaming Sector Suffered First Revenue Decline in a Decade in 2020
August 18, 2021

Tribal Gaming Sector Suffered First Revenue Decline in a Decade in 2020

Tribal gaming revenues fell 20 percent in 2020 over the previous year because of the pandemic, or by $6.7 billion. That’s the first decline the sector has recorded in ten years, and the sharpest in...

Written by Philip Conneller
‘Baseball Picks’ Scammer Jailed After 15 Years on the Lam
August 17, 2021

‘Baseball Picks’ Scammer Jailed After 15 Years on the Lam

A Florida fraudster who ran sham handicapper websites before going on the run for 15 years has been sentenced to 48 months in prison by a federal district judge in West Palm Beach. One-time Boca...

Written by Philip Conneller
Twitch Ban on Content with Gambling Links Too Little Too Late, Critics Say
August 17, 2021

Twitch Ban on Content with Gambling Links Too Little Too Late, Critics Say

Live-streaming platform Twitch has banned the sharing of gambling referral codes and links to online betting sites. The move comes amid concerns about Twitch influencers promoting unlicensed operators to their largely underage following. In a...

Written by Philip Conneller
China Bans Karaoke Songs That Reference Gambling
August 16, 2021

China Bans Karaoke Songs That Reference Gambling

China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism has announced that songs mentioning gambling will be banned at the nation’s 50,000-odd karaoke venues. The ministry said it would shortly compile a blacklist of music that will be...

Written by Philip Conneller
Greyhound Racing’s Lawsuit Challenging Florida Ban Thrown Out of Court
August 16, 2021

Greyhound Racing’s Lawsuit Challenging Florida Ban Thrown Out of Court

A gambit by the greyhound racing industry to have Florida’s ban on dog racing declared unconstitutional was rejected late last week by a federal appeals court. In October 2019, a group calling itself “Support Working...

Written by Philip Conneller
US Citizen Laundered South American Drug Cartel Money in Guatemala Casinos
August 4, 2021

US Citizen Laundered South American Drug Cartel Money in Guatemala Casinos

A US citizen pleaded guilty in a federal courtroom Monday to laundering money for South American drug cartels, partly through two casinos he owned in Guatemala. Xizhi Li, 48, is accused of washing at least...

Written by Philip Conneller
Singapore Crime Boss Gets Five Years for Illegal Online Gambling Syndicate
August 4, 2021

Singapore Crime Boss Gets Five Years for Illegal Online Gambling Syndicate

The leader of an illegal online gambling syndicate was sentenced to a maximum five years and five months in a Singapore prison Monday. He was convicted for masterminding a lottery-betting outfit that generated multimillions of...

Written by Philip Conneller
Crown Resorts Begs for Victoria License as Two More Top Execs Relieved
August 3, 2021

Crown Resorts Begs for Victoria License as Two More Top Execs Relieved

Commissioner Ray Finkelstein in Melbourne on Tuesday wanted to know the difference between Australian casino giant Crown Resorts and a car thief. This unusual line of inquiry came after lawyers for Crown had offered final...

Written by Philip Conneller