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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

4187 stories by Philip Conneller

Japanese Casino Policymaker Probed Over Alleged Ties to Chinese Gambling Company
December 19, 2019

Japanese Casino Policymaker Probed Over Alleged Ties to Chinese Gambling Company

On Wednesday, Tokyo’s District Public Prosecutor grilled a lawmaker from Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party over his alleged links to a Chinese gambling company that is suspected of breaking foreign exchange laws. Tsukasa Akimoto, 48,...

Written by Philip Conneller
Bet365 CEO Denise Coates Ruffles Feathers, Pays Herself $422 Million in 2019
December 18, 2019

Bet365 CEO Denise Coates Ruffles Feathers, Pays Herself $422 Million in 2019

Bet365 founder Denise Coates has broken the record for the highest executive pay packet in UK corporate history, beating the previous record set last year by… Denise Coates. The publicity shy CEO paid herself £323...

Written by Philip Conneller
Three Dead in Montana Casino Shooting, Suspect Killed by Police
December 18, 2019

Three Dead in Montana Casino Shooting, Suspect Killed by Police

Three people were killed and one more injured in a shooting at a Montana Casino in the early hours of Tuesday morning, the Great Falls Police Department (GFPD) reports. The suspect is believed to have...

Written by Philip Conneller
Penn National Gaming Director Busted for Allegedly Embezzling Gift Cards Worth $75,000
December 17, 2019

Penn National Gaming Director Busted for Allegedly Embezzling Gift Cards Worth $75,000

Penn National Gaming’s (PNG) former director of benefits is facing multiple of charges of theft for allegedly pilfering gift cards that she should have bestowed on the company’s employees. Collegeville, Pennsylvania-woman Denise Bitler, 56, was...

Written by Philip Conneller
SCOTUS Takes Up Case that Could Unleash Wave of Tribal Gaming Across Eastern Oklahoma
December 16, 2019

SCOTUS Takes Up Case that Could Unleash Wave of Tribal Gaming Across Eastern Oklahoma

The US Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case which could have far-reaching implications for tribal gaming in eastern Oklahoma. It could also create the largest tribal reservation in America, triggering a “seismic shift...

Written by Philip Conneller
Conservative Party Avalanche UK Election Win Prompts Gambling Industry Shares to Rise
December 13, 2019

Conservative Party Avalanche UK Election Win Prompts Gambling Industry Shares to Rise

Shares in Britain’s biggest gambling companies jumped on Friday, the day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson swept to victory in the country’s general elections. Johnson’s Conservative Party -- also known as the Tory Party --...

Written by Philip Conneller
Novomatic Sells Stake in Casinos Austria Amid Corruption Scandal
December 13, 2019

Novomatic Sells Stake in Casinos Austria Amid Corruption Scandal

Austrian gaming giant Novomatic AG has reached a deal to offload its 17 percent stake in Casino Austria to Czech Republic-based lottery operator SAZKA Group. The sell-off comes as Novomatic is being investigated over corruption...

Written by Philip Conneller
Beijing to Transform Macau into Financial Hub as Hong Kong Falls Out of Favor
December 12, 2019

Beijing to Transform Macau into Financial Hub as Hong Kong Falls Out of Favor

Macau casino stocks jumped Thursday on the news that Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to announce policies to diversify the economy of the special administrative region (SAR) and turn it into a financial center....

Written by Philip Conneller
Middleman Testifies Against Maltese Casino Owner in Caruana Galizia Murder Case
December 12, 2019

Middleman Testifies Against Maltese Casino Owner in Caruana Galizia Murder Case

It’s the scandal that brought down Malta’s government. On Wednesday, Melvin Theuma, the so-called “middleman” in the murder of anti-corruption journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, testified in court that Malta’s biggest casino owner, Yorgen Fenech, was...

Written by Philip Conneller
Kaskade Sues Palms Casino for Breach of Contract Over KAOS Nightclub Closure
December 11, 2019

Kaskade Sues Palms Casino for Breach of Contract Over KAOS Nightclub Closure

Superstar DJ Kaskade is suing the Palms Resort Casino in Las Vegas for breach of contract over the unexpected shuttering of its KAOS nightclub in November, after just seven months in operation. Kaskade, real name...

Written by Philip Conneller