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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

4183 stories by Philip Conneller

Tokyo Court Rules Gaming Mogul Kazuo Okada Was Legally Ousted from His Own Company by His Children
February 7, 2019

Tokyo Court Rules Gaming Mogul Kazuo Okada Was Legally Ousted from His Own Company by His Children

A court in Tokyo has ruled that a trust agreement between the son and daughter of billionaire Japanese gambling mogul Kazuo Okada -- which led to the two siblings ousting their father from the family...

Written by Philip Conneller
Year of the Pig Off to a Golden Start for Macau Casinos as Chinese Revelers Flock to Enclave
February 7, 2019

Year of the Pig Off to a Golden Start for Macau Casinos as Chinese Revelers Flock to Enclave

Golden Week kicked off in Macau on Monday, with early figures suggesting visitation to the gambling hub will be up on last’s year’s annual Chinese Lunar New Year holiday. On the first day of the...

Written by Philip Conneller
Ladbrokes Planning for 5,000 Redundancies, 1,000 Shop Closures Over Next Two Years
February 6, 2019

Ladbrokes Planning for 5,000 Redundancies, 1,000 Shop Closures Over Next Two Years

Britain’s biggest retail bookmaker, Ladbrokes Coral, is preparing to close 1,000 outlets, leading to 5,000 redundancies throughout the UK, according to a leaked internal memo seen by The Guardian newspaper. A spokesperson for the bookmaker...

Written by Philip Conneller
D.C. Council Suspends Competitive Bidding on Sports Betting, Handing Monopoly to Intralot Despite 2009 Contract Scandal
February 6, 2019

D.C. Council Suspends Competitive Bidding on Sports Betting, Handing Monopoly to Intralot Despite 2009 Contract Scandal

The DC Council has all but handed a mobile sports betting monopoly to its Greek lottery provider Intralot. On Tuesday, the council narrowly voted, by 7 to 6, to suspend the competitive bidding process that...

Written by Philip Conneller
Ukraine Court Blunder Reveals Alleged Owner of Russia’s Biggest Black Market Online Gaming Site
February 5, 2019

Ukraine Court Blunder Reveals Alleged Owner of Russia’s Biggest Black Market Online Gaming Site

A court in Kyiv, Ukraine, has accidentally leaked the name of the suspected owner of Azino777 – the biggest single illegal online gaming operator serving the Russian market. The Bell is an independent Russian-language business...

Written by Philip Conneller
Borgata Wins Right to Hunt Phil Ivey’s Assets in Nevada in Bid to Recoup $10.1 Million from Edge-Sorting Case
February 5, 2019

Borgata Wins Right to Hunt Phil Ivey’s Assets in Nevada in Bid to Recoup $10.1 Million from Edge-Sorting Case

The Borgata in Atlantic City is pursuing the Nevada assets of poker player Phil Ivey as it seeks to claw back at least $10.16 million that Ivey and an accomplice “won” while playing mini-baccarat at...

Written by Philip Conneller
Stratosphere to be Renamed The STRAT Hotel, Casino and Skypod in Bid to Revamp Image
February 5, 2019

Stratosphere to be Renamed The STRAT Hotel, Casino and Skypod in Bid to Revamp Image

Las Vegas’ Stratosphere Casino, Hotel & Tower is to be rebranded “The STRAT Hotel, Casino and Skypod” by its new owner. Golden Entertainment hopes the name change will make the property sound hipper and change...

Written by Philip Conneller
‘Lottery Scam Made Me A Champion,’ Claims Former Boxer Chris Eubank Sr
February 5, 2019

‘Lottery Scam Made Me A Champion,’ Claims Former Boxer Chris Eubank Sr

Former boxer Chris Eubank Sr. has claimed he once won the lottery in New York but was scammed out of a six-figure prize by a dishonest grocery store clerk. The British former middleweight and super-middleweight...

Written by Philip Conneller
Demolition Work Begins to Make Way for Elk Grove Casino After Years of Legal Challenges
February 4, 2019

Demolition Work Begins to Make Way for Elk Grove Casino After Years of Legal Challenges

On Friday, the Wilton Rancheria began the demolition of a “ghost mall” in Elk Grove, California -- in preparation for the construction of its controversial $400 million casino, in partnership with Boyd Gaming. On completion,...

Written by Philip Conneller
All Bets Are Off: New Jersey Regulator Mysteriously Pulls Plug on Oscars Betting
February 4, 2019

All Bets Are Off: New Jersey Regulator Mysteriously Pulls Plug on Oscars Betting

New Jersey sports books will not be taking bets on the Oscars this year, after all. Just days after the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) gave the go ahead for legal wagering on...

Written by Philip Conneller