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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

3704 stories by Philip Conneller

Civil forfeiture

Florida Gamblers Sue Feds After DEA Seizes $43,000 in Civil Forfeiture Cash Grab

A Florida couple is suing the Drug Enforcement Administration after the agency seized $43,000 in cash as they traveled to a casino reopening in North Carolina. Stacy Jones and her husband said the federal agency had no reason to seize their cash...

Philip Conneller September 2, 2020
Ron Meyer

Hollywood Exec Ron Meyer is ‘Biggest Craps Player Ever,’ Lost Over $100M, Sources Claim

Someone appears to have it in for former Hollywood executive Ron Meyer. Earlier this month, the 75-year-old resigned from his $25 million-a-year job at Universal after he was purportedly blackmailed about an affair he had in 2012 with the 20-year-old British actress...

Philip Conneller September 2, 2020
Drew Las Vegas

‘Bored’ Drew Las Vegas Arsonist Gets Five Years in Prison

A man who filmed himself setting fires at The Drew Las Vegas, causing millions in damage before “squaring up” to responding firefighters, was sentenced to five years in a federal prison Friday. Andrew Joseph Sanders, 28, of Las Vegas, broke into the...

Philip Conneller September 1, 2020
Crown Resorts

Crown Resorts Bank Accounts Breached AML Rules, Used by Criminals, Inquiry Hears

Two bank accounts controlled by Crown Resorts for the discreet use of VIP clients were not supervised by the Australian casino giant’s anti-money-laundering (AML) teams, an inquiry in Sydney has learned. ANZ and Commonwealth banks eventually shut down the two accounts because...

Philip Conneller September 1, 2020
Mount Airy casino

Mount Airy Casino Gets $50 Million Coronavirus Loan from Bank Chaired by Mob-Connected Former Owner

The Mount Airy Casino & Resort in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania received $50 million in coronavirus relief loans from a local bank, FNCB, as part of the taxpayer-backed Main Street program. But the bank’s chairman and largest shareholder, Louis DeNaples, just happens to...

Philip Conneller September 1, 2020
Shinzo Abe

Japanese PM Shinzo Abe Shock Resignation Spells Uncertainty for Casino Market: Analyst

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday announced his resignation with one year left of his term in office, citing health problems. The 65-year-old whose aggressive economic program -- dubbed “Abenomics” -- included the creation of a new casino market of spectacular...

Philip Conneller August 28, 2020

Isle of Capri Casino Lake Charles Wrecked by Hurricane Laura, Riverboat Casino Crashes into Bridge

Early reports out of Lake Charles, Louisiana, suggest that the city near the east Texas border has been “severely damaged” and the Isle of Capri Casino wrecked after Hurricane Laura ripped through the area early Thursday morning. The first images show that...

Philip Conneller August 27, 2020
Bob Evnen

Ho-Chunk to Sue State of Nebraska After Casino Measure Pulled from Ballot

Ho-Chunk Inc. and its allies have vowed to sue the state of Nebraska after a campaign to legalize casino gaming was struck from the ballot Tuesday by Secretary of State Bob Evnen. Ho-Chunk Inc. is the economic arm of the Winnebago Tribe...

Philip Conneller August 26, 2020
Tsukasa Akimoto

500.com Advisers Plead Guilty to Bribing Japanese Lawmaker Over Casino Plan

Two former Japanese advisers pleaded guilty to bribing a politician who shaped the country's gaming regulations and policy. Japanese lawmaker Tsukasa Akimoto, 48, has repeatedly denied accepting kickbacks for furthering the interests of Chinese online gaming company 500.com Ltd. and its pursuit...

Philip Conneller August 26, 2020
Jason Robins

DraftKings CEO Fires Insult at Rush Street in Illinois Sports Betting Spat

DraftKings CEO Jason Robins on Monday said that it “felt good” that his company was finally taking mobile sports betting registrations in Illinois after a U-turn by Governor J. B. Pritzker (D) on the issue last Friday. But at the same time,...

Philip Conneller August 25, 2020