Casino.org The World's Online Gaming Authority Since 1995
Menu
Avatar photo

Reporter: 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.

Areas of Expertise

3661 stories by Philip Conneller

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger blamed for Paddy Power Betfair’s dip in profits

Paddy Power Betfair Blames Arsenal for Tumultuous Q1

Paddy Power Betfair said on Wednesday that bad weather and Arsenal Football Club were among the factors responsible for scaring off bettors in Q1, leading to worse-than-hoped financial results. The group reported flat revenue at £408 million ($555 million) in the three...

Philip Conneller May 2, 2018
Save Idaho Horse Racing submits ballot signatures

Save Idaho Horse Racing Group Says Ballot Goal Reached, Despite Alleged Sabotage

Save Idaho Horse Racing, a campaign group devoted to reintroducing instant racing machines at Idaho’s ailing racetracks, delivered its signatures of support to the county clerk office on May 1. The group believes it has secured the number it needs –  around...

Philip Conneller May 1, 2018
Macau gambling revenues

Macau Gambling Revenue Surges 28 Percent in April, Confounding Expectations

Macau recorded its 21st consecutive month of growth in April as the enclave blew analysts’ expectations out of the water with a 27.6 percent year-on-year increase, according to figures published Tuesday by the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau. Separate figures, released by...

Philip Conneller May 1, 2018
Daily fantasy sports skill not gambling

Academic Study Rates Daily Fantasy Sports as Skill, Not Gambling

Daily fantasy sports are not games of chance, says a new study by a Kansas State University professor, soon to be published in full in the Journal of Sports Science. The report advises that state legislators should not class the contests as...

Philip Conneller May 1, 2018
Mandalay Bay shooting

Court Ruling Could Lay Foundation for Las Vegas Massacre Victim Claims Against MGM

The Nevada Supreme Court has rejected a petition by MGM Resorts International to overturn a September 2017 decision that broadens the responsibility of casino operators and venue owners for the safety of their patrons. It’s a decision that could be used by...

Philip Conneller May 1, 2018
Seneca Niagara

Seneca Niagara Begins $40 Million Casino Beautification, Still No Payments to Cash-Strapped City

The Seneca Nation has announced it will begin work on a $40 million makeover of the Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino in the City of Niagara Falls, as it continues to withhold revenue-share payments to the State of New York and local...

Philip Conneller April 30, 2018
Kansas horseracing bill dies in Senate

Kansas Horse Racing Revival Bill Dies in the Senate

A legislative push aimed at rebuilding Kansas’ defunct horse and dog racing industries has fallen at the first fence. SB 427 sought to cut tax rates for racetracks, which supporters argue have been so punitive that they have killed off the once-thriving...

Philip Conneller April 30, 2018

Mobster Joey Merlino Pleads Guilty to Avoid Retrial, Offers More Sports Betting Advice

Philadelphia Mob boss Joseph “Skinny Joey” Merlino appeared in court on Friday to plead guilty to a charge of illegal gambling. The guilty plea will help the dapper don avoid a retrial in a racketeering case that ended up with a hung...

Philip Conneller April 30, 2018
Cirsa founder Manuel Lao

Blackstone Group Acquires Spanish Gaming Giant Cirsa

US private equity fund the Blackstone Group is to acquire Spain’s largest casino and bingo hall operator, Cirsa. The two companies announced the deal in a joint press release on Friday, and, while exact terms were not disclosed, Cirsa’s asking price was...

Philip Conneller April 30, 2018
Paris 2024

Paris 2024 Organizers in Talks to Bring Esports to the Olympics

Organizers of the 2024 Paris Olympics are said to be “deep in talks” with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) over the inclusion of esports as a demonstration sport at the Games, according to the International Esports Federation (IeSF). Last year, it was...

Philip Conneller April 29, 2018