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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

4185 stories by Philip Conneller

Ninth Circuit Tosses Case Against ‘Half-Blood Indian’ Jamul Casino
September 13, 2020

Ninth Circuit Tosses Case Against ‘Half-Blood Indian’ Jamul Casino

A panel of federal appellate judges has tossed a lawsuit that challenged the sovereignty of the Jamul Indian Village (JIV), operator of the Jamul Casino, near San Diego. The complaint, which refers repeatedly to the...

Written by Philip Conneller
Sixty Plaintiffs in Mike Postle Poker Cheating Case Accept Settlement, Will Others Pursue Legal Action?
September 11, 2020

Sixty Plaintiffs in Mike Postle Poker Cheating Case Accept Settlement, Will Others Pursue Legal Action?

Sixty plaintiffs in the Mike Postle alleged cheating case have accepted a settlement, according to new court filings this week. That allows for the possibility that 28 remaining poker players may still choose to pursue...

Written by Philip Conneller
Aussie Trainers Accused of Torturing Horses in Melbourne Cup Betting Conspiracy
September 10, 2020

Aussie Trainers Accused of Torturing Horses in Melbourne Cup Betting Conspiracy

Australian thoroughbred trainer Darren Weir told Ballarat Magistrates Court near Melbourne of his love of horses Wednesday, adding that he did not “train them for the punt .” Weir is accused of conspiracy to defraud...

Written by Philip Conneller
Low Room Rates in Las Vegas Responsible for Labor Day Violence: Analyst
September 9, 2020

Low Room Rates in Las Vegas Responsible for Labor Day Violence: Analyst

A spike in violence on the Las Vegas Strip over Labor Day weekend is a direct result of rock-bottom room rates. That’s according to Greg Mullen, vice president of CDC Consulting, who told the Las...

Written by Philip Conneller
COVID-19 Cases Present at California Casino Early in Pandemic, Lawsuit Shows
September 9, 2020

COVID-19 Cases Present at California Casino Early in Pandemic, Lawsuit Shows

COVID-19 was spreading among employees and patrons of the Jamul Casino, San Diego County, in early March. A fact that was not reported to the public according to a lawsuit filed by the Jamul Indian...

Written by Philip Conneller
Offshore Sportsbook 5Dimes Quits US Market, May Plan to Legalize
September 8, 2020

Offshore Sportsbook 5Dimes Quits US Market, May Plan to Legalize

The 5Dimes online sportsbook has for years served the US market illegally from Costa Rica. But now it appears to be trying to make a clean break of it. The company announced suddenly on Monday...

Written by Philip Conneller
Mike Sexton Dead at 72, Tributes Pour in for Much-Loved Poker Legend
September 7, 2020

Mike Sexton Dead at 72, Tributes Pour in for Much-Loved Poker Legend

Poker player and commentator Mike Sexton has lost his battle with cancer. Sexton's friend, the player and tournament director Linda Johnson, reported that he passed away peacefully at home in Las Vegas on Sunday. The...

Written by Philip Conneller
Steve Wynn Defamation Case Against Former Hairstylist Thrown Out of Court
September 4, 2020

Steve Wynn Defamation Case Against Former Hairstylist Thrown Out of Court

A former Wynn Resorts hairstylist has successfully defeated a defamation suit brought against him by his former boss, the disgraced casino mogul Steve Wynn. Jorgen Nielsen, originally from Denmark, was the artistic director of the...

Written by Philip Conneller
Big Fish Games Lays Off Staff as Judge Approves $155 Million Class Action Settlement for Former Players
September 4, 2020

Big Fish Games Lays Off Staff as Judge Approves $155 Million Class Action Settlement for Former Players

Social casino developer Big Fish Games is expected to lay off 250 staff members as part of a restructuring process as it downsizes, according to a staff memo dated Tuesday, Sept. 1. This is the...

Written by Philip Conneller
Former Crown Resorts Exec Jason O’Connor, Once Jailed in China for ‘Gambling Crimes,’ Finally Breaks Silence
September 3, 2020

Former Crown Resorts Exec Jason O’Connor, Once Jailed in China for ‘Gambling Crimes,’ Finally Breaks Silence

Jason O’Connor, the former executive vice president of Crown Resort’s VIP International division, has spoken publicly for the first time about his arrest and imprisonment in China in 2016 for “gambling crimes.” O’Connor was among...

Written by Philip Conneller