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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

4177 stories by Philip Conneller

Former Nevada Governor and Casino Industry Reformer Paul Laxalt Dead at 96
August 7, 2018

Former Nevada Governor and Casino Industry Reformer Paul Laxalt Dead at 96

Paul Laxalt, the former Nevada governor who helped clean up and stabilize the state’s gaming industry in the 1970s, has died at 96. His family said the grandfather of current GOP gubernatorial candidate Adam Laxalt...

Written by Philip Conneller
Elaine Wynn Buries Hatchet with Wynn Resorts as Phil Sartre Becomes Vice-Chairman
August 7, 2018

Elaine Wynn Buries Hatchet with Wynn Resorts as Phil Sartre Becomes Vice-Chairman

Gaming industry veteran Phil Sartre has been appointed vice-chairman of Wynn Resorts in a move that should ease tensions between the company and its biggest shareholder and co-founder, Elaine Wynn. Satre, who is the former...

Written by Philip Conneller
DraftKings Sportsbook Goes Live, Becomes New Jersey’s First Online Sports Betting Platform
August 7, 2018

DraftKings Sportsbook Goes Live, Becomes New Jersey’s First Online Sports Betting Platform

DraftKings has won the race to offer a full-scale digital sports betting platform in the New Jersey market, the first such platform that exists in the US outside Nevada. DraftKings Sportsbook launched in earnest on...

Written by Philip Conneller
Seattle Poker Players Cry Foul Over Lost Tribal Casino Jackpot Fund
August 6, 2018

Seattle Poker Players Cry Foul Over Lost Tribal Casino Jackpot Fund

What's the fate of a Seattle, Washington player-funded jackpot when a poker room closes? That's what customers at the Snoqualmie Casino, just outside Seattle, want to know, as their poker jackpot is about to disappear into...

Written by Philip Conneller
William Hill Aims to Pull Off Penn National US Sports Betting Coup
August 6, 2018

William Hill Aims to Pull Off Penn National US Sports Betting Coup

William Hill is in early talks to form a sports betting partnership with Penn National Gaming, according to reports in the UK media over the weekend. The Times and City AM quoted “City sources” --...

Written by Philip Conneller
Bet365 ‘Colonizes’ Half of La Liga with Ten New Sponsorship Deals
August 4, 2018

Bet365 ‘Colonizes’ Half of La Liga with Ten New Sponsorship Deals

Bet365 this week completed ten separate sponsorship deals with ten teams from Spanish soccer’s prestigious La Liga. The unprecedented move means the British online gambling giant has partnered up with exactly half of Spanish soccer’s...

Written by Philip Conneller
William Hill Blames Billion-Dollar Loss on FOBT Cuts, Looks to US for Silver Lining
August 3, 2018

William Hill Blames Billion-Dollar Loss on FOBT Cuts, Looks to US for Silver Lining

William Hill blamed the UK government’s clampdown on fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs), Friday, for dragging it one billion into the red in the first half of the year. The British sports betting giant reported pre-tax...

Written by Philip Conneller
FanDuel Group Teams Up with Boyd Gaming in Bid to Corner US Sports Betting Market
August 3, 2018

FanDuel Group Teams Up with Boyd Gaming in Bid to Corner US Sports Betting Market

FanDuel and Boyd Gaming have formed a joint strategic partnership to offer land-based and digital sports betting in the US. The deal will see the Vegas-based regional casino giant take 4 percent equity in the...

Written by Philip Conneller
Swedish Online Gambling ‘Re-regulation’ Gets 22 Takers
August 2, 2018

Swedish Online Gambling ‘Re-regulation’ Gets 22 Takers

The brand-new Swedish online gaming licensing regime began accepting applicants on Wednesday, with 22 operators submitting paperwork to join the market on day one. Among them were notable industry pioneers with Swedish origins, such as...

Written by Philip Conneller
Illinois Online Gaming Kickstarted by Chicago Lawmaker Amid Sports Betting Push
August 1, 2018

Illinois Online Gaming Kickstarted by Chicago Lawmaker Amid Sports Betting Push

Illinois State Rep. Bob Rita wants the state legislature to take a serious look at online gaming and sports betting next year, and for that he needs allies. The Blue Island Democrat will lead a...

Written by Philip Conneller