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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

4253 stories by Philip Conneller

EA Hits Almost $1 Billion in Microtransactions, Gets Slapped with Lawsuit Over FIFA 20 Team Packs
February 3, 2020

EA Hits Almost $1 Billion in Microtransactions, Gets Slapped with Lawsuit Over FIFA 20 Team Packs

FIFA 20 publisher Electronic Arts (EA) announced in a financial briefing late last week it had made nearly $1 billion from microtransactions alone in the quarter that ended Dec 31. That was an “all-time high”...

Written by Philip Conneller
Journalist’s International Casino Exhibition Media Pass Initially Put on ICE Over Historical Bad Press
February 3, 2020

Journalist’s International Casino Exhibition Media Pass Initially Put on ICE Over Historical Bad Press

An award-winning journalist was initially refused press accreditation for this week’s International Casino Exhibition in London, allegedly because organizer Clarion Gaming is concerned about negative press. An article written about the 2018 event by Rob...

Written by Philip Conneller
Fugitive Bulgarian Casino Kingpin Bohkzov Arrested in United Arab Emirates
February 3, 2020

Fugitive Bulgarian Casino Kingpin Bohkzov Arrested in United Arab Emirates

Bulgaria’s wealthiest gambling tycoon, Vasil Bozhkov, has been apprehended in the United Arab Emirates. His arrest comes just days after he was charged in absentia in his home country with organizing a crime group, extortion,...

Written by Philip Conneller
Judge Denies Injunction to Halt Montana Sports Betting Licensing Process
January 31, 2020

Judge Denies Injunction to Halt Montana Sports Betting Licensing Process

A lawsuit challenging the Montana Lottery’s licensing requirements for sports betting has failed to win an injunction that would have put the entire licensing process on ice. Investment company Arete Group LLC is contesting new...

Written by Philip Conneller
Atlantic City Must Clean Up Its Image, Tackle Drugs and Prostitution: Casino Execs
January 31, 2020

Atlantic City Must Clean Up Its Image, Tackle Drugs and Prostitution: Casino Execs

Atlantic City has an image problem that needs to be addressed through social and economic revitalization. That was the takeaway from an annual forum hosted by the Greater Atlantic City Chamber at the Atlantic City...

Written by Philip Conneller
Appellate Court to Hear Mashpee Legal Fight for Reservation, First Light Casino
January 30, 2020

Appellate Court to Hear Mashpee Legal Fight for Reservation, First Light Casino

The Mashpee Wampanoag tribe of Massachusetts will have 15 minutes next week to plead for its reservation and for the right to build a $1 billion casino resort in Taunton, in the southeast of the...

Written by Philip Conneller
Bulgarian Gambling Czar and Alleged Criminal Mastermind Vasil ‘The Skull’ Bozhkov Charged with Extortion
January 30, 2020

Bulgarian Gambling Czar and Alleged Criminal Mastermind Vasil ‘The Skull’ Bozhkov Charged with Extortion

A Bulgarian gambling mogul known as “The Skull” has been charged in absentia with organizing a crime group, extortion, and attempted bribery by authorities in the Balkan state. Vasil Bozhkov is one of Bulgaria’s richest...

Written by Philip Conneller
Ridgecrest, California Casino Back on Track as City and Death Valley Tribe Settle
January 29, 2020

Ridgecrest, California Casino Back on Track as City and Death Valley Tribe Settle

A controversial tribal casino project in Ridgecrest, California will move ahead, after the Timbisha Shoshone tribe of Death Valley announced it had resolved its dispute with the city this week. Ridgecrest has agreed to sell...

Written by Philip Conneller
Crown Resorts Tycoon James Packer to Testify for Prosecution in Netanyahu Corruption Trial
January 29, 2020

Crown Resorts Tycoon James Packer to Testify for Prosecution in Netanyahu Corruption Trial

Crown Resorts billionaire James Packer will be called as a prosecution witness in the corruption trial of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to indictment documents seen by News Corp. Netanyahu was officially indicted for...

Written by Philip Conneller
Washington State Social Gaming Legislation Could Rescue Big Fish Casino From Legal Trouble
January 29, 2020

Washington State Social Gaming Legislation Could Rescue Big Fish Casino From Legal Trouble

Bills introduced in the Washington State legislature last week are designed to protect the state’s social gaming industry from legal bombardment. The identical bills -- sponsored in the House by State Rep. Zach Hudgins (D-11th)...

Written by Philip Conneller