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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

4252 stories by Philip Conneller

Mexico Border Towns to Fill Up with Casinos Next Year as Tamaulipas Relegalizes Gaming
December 7, 2018

Mexico Border Towns to Fill Up with Casinos Next Year as Tamaulipas Relegalizes Gaming

Up to 30 casinos are expected to appear on the other side of the Texas-Mexico border following the Mexican state of Tamaulipas' relegalization of casino gaming. Last month, the Tamaulipas regional government reversed a 2017...

Written by Philip Conneller
Big Trouble in Little China: Nine Loan Sharks Held for Kidnapping, Torture in China’s Cambodian Gambling Hub
December 6, 2018

Big Trouble in Little China: Nine Loan Sharks Held for Kidnapping, Torture in China’s Cambodian Gambling Hub

Authorities in Cambodia have arrested nine Chinese nationals for the alleged kidnap and torture of two gamblers in Sihanoukville, a once sleepy seaside town now booming with Chinese-owned casinos. Major Sok Kosal of the Sihanouk...

Written by Philip Conneller
Online Gaming Shares Tumble on False BBC Report of Advertising Ban
December 6, 2018

Online Gaming Shares Tumble on False BBC Report of Advertising Ban

A BBC report suggesting members of online gambling industry body the Remote Gambling Association (RGA) had agreed a self-imposed ban on UK TV advertising during sports events is simply not true, according to RGA chief...

Written by Philip Conneller
MGM Keeps Plans for Yonkers Raceway Under Wraps As $850 Million Deal Nears Completion
December 5, 2018

MGM Keeps Plans for Yonkers Raceway Under Wraps As $850 Million Deal Nears Completion

MGM Resorts International is just weeks away from finalizing its $850 million acquisition of the Yonkers Raceway in New York State, along with its adjoining Empire City Casino -- and locals are aching to know...

Written by Philip Conneller
MGM GVC Interactive Believes Strategic Tribal Gaming Partnerships Hold Key to Sports Betting Domination
December 5, 2018

MGM GVC Interactive Believes Strategic Tribal Gaming Partnerships Hold Key to Sports Betting Domination

MGM Resorts and GVC Holdings are venturing deeper into Indian Country in their hunt for sports betting partnerships. The two operators -- collectively known as MGM GVC Interactive -- announced Tuesday they had retained the services...

Written by Philip Conneller
Sports Betting Boosts New Jersey Horse Racing But Industry Still Needs Lifeline from Legislature
December 5, 2018

Sports Betting Boosts New Jersey Horse Racing But Industry Still Needs Lifeline from Legislature

Sports betting is thriving at Meadowlands Racetrack and that’s good news -- for once -- for New Jersey’s ailing horse racing industry. On Friday, Meadowlands agreed a ten-year sports betting revenue-share deal with the Standardbred...

Written by Philip Conneller
Former Disney Top Suit Unveils Plans for Elysium City, ‘European Las Vegas’ Set in Remote Spanish Backwater
December 4, 2018

Former Disney Top Suit Unveils Plans for Elysium City, ‘European Las Vegas’ Set in Remote Spanish Backwater

A former Disney executive plans to build a “European Las Vegas” in a remote and sparsely populated corner of Spain. This week, John Cora of California-based Cora Global showcased his plans to Spanish media for...

Written by Philip Conneller
Wynn Resorts’ New Chairman Phil Satre Opens Up on Steve Wynn and Massachusetts Suitability Probe
December 4, 2018

Wynn Resorts’ New Chairman Phil Satre Opens Up on Steve Wynn and Massachusetts Suitability Probe

As the Massachusetts Gaming Commission’s (MGC) suitability investigation into Wynn Resorts nears its conclusion, the company’s new chairman Phil Satre was in Boston this week to be grilled by the commission as a formality about...

Written by Philip Conneller
Surprise Alliance of Leagues and Operators Emerges to Fight Threatened Intralot Sports Betting Monopoly in Washington DC
December 4, 2018

Surprise Alliance of Leagues and Operators Emerges to Fight Threatened Intralot Sports Betting Monopoly in Washington DC

MGM Resorts, DraftKings, and FanDuel have joined forces with the NBA, MLB, and the PGA in a bid to impose shared interests on Washington DC sports betting legislation. It’s the first known instance of sports...

Written by Philip Conneller
Genting Dragged $66 Million into the Red After US DOI Nixes Tribal Casino Project
December 3, 2018

Genting Dragged $66 Million into the Red After US DOI Nixes Tribal Casino Project

Genting Berhad booked Q3 net losses of more than $66 million on Friday. The Malaysian casino giant largely blamed its jeopardized investment in a Massachusetts tribal casino project, which was torpedoed by the US Department...

Written by Philip Conneller