Areas of Expertise
3943 stories by Philip Conneller
Snooker Player Banned for Match-Fixing Wins World Championship
Zhao Xintong became the first Asian player to win the World Snooker Championship. 27-year-old served a 20-month ban related to a match-fixing scandal. Snooker has a new world champion and he's fresh off a ban for involvement in match-fixing. Zhao Xintong beat...
FantaPappa: Italians Go Crazy for Fantasy Pope-Betting Platform
FantaPappa is a fantasy ‘sports’ game where users try to predict the next pope. Game has over 60,000 players in Italy. ‘Pope betting’ popular in markets where legal In Italy, betting on papal conclaves – the gathering of cardinals in the Vatican...
‘Bad Optics’? ‘Hawk Tuah’ Girl Returns to Spotlight at Las Vegas Poker Event
Viral internet star Haliey Welch, aka the “Hawk Tuah girl,” resurfaced at celebrity poker tournament. Welch had kept a low profile amid controversy over her failed cryptocurrency, $HAWK. Haliey Welch, better known to many as “the Hawk Tuah girl,” has returned to...
Bally’s Chicago Casino Halted Over Vendor Once Linked to Mob by FBI
Illinois Gaming Board halts construction on Bally’s Chicago casino over unapproved vendor. Dumpsters on-site were supplied by D&P Construction, once tied to alleged Chicago Outfit bosses. The Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) has ordered construction work to be halted on Bally’s $1.7 billion...
Gov. DeSantis Taps Florida Lottery, Gambling Regulator to Join Migrant Crackdown
Florida Gov. says state agencies like Florida Lottery and Gaming Commission will aid in migration enforcement Implementation details, such as ID requirements for lottery or alcohol purchases, remain unclear Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said Thursday more state agencies will partner with...
Ohio Social Studies Teacher Moonlighted as Illegal Gambling Kingpin
Vermilion High School teacher indicted on 23 felony counts, including money laundering and illegal gambling. Prosecutors allege use of shell companies to run unlicensed gaming machines and illegal bingo. If convicted, Edmison could face up to 11 years in prison on the...
US Supreme Court Delivers Fatal Blow to Sault Tribe’s Detroit Casino Dream
The Supreme Court declined to hear the Sault Tribe’s appeal over a denied casino land trust The tribe hoped to build a casino near Detroit, far from its Upper Peninsula base A prior court ruling required the tribe to pay $88M in...
Poker’s Tom Dwan Tweets from London Mental Hospital in Psychological Distress
Concern for poker star Tom Dwan after disturbing tweets from mental facility Claims that intelligence agencies, medical staff, flight attendants conspiring to kill him Later tweeted he was “finally feeling a bit better” after ordeal There was concern in the poker community...
Oregon Lottery Winners Gain Right to Remain Anonymous
New law allows Oregon lottery winners to remain anonymous unless they provide written consent Bill bans resale of winning lottery tickets targeting underground ‘discounting’ industry Oregon lottery winners will no longer be paraded in front of cameras while brandishing outsized novelty checks....
Texas Lottery Votes to Ban Courier Industry Amid Political Firestorm
TLC unanimously votes to ban lottery couriers Vote authorizes agency to revoke licenses of retailers that work with couriers Agency under pressure after syndicate gamed system for $96M jackpot The embattled Texas Lottery Commission (TLC) has officially banned lottery couriers, the third-party...