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

3799 stories by Philip Conneller

Adele, Macau, Sam Hou-fai, residency

Next Macau Leader Wants Superstar Residency Shows After ‘$200M Adele Snub’

More Las Vegas-style residency shows featuring global music stars may be just what Macau needs, according to Sam Hou-fai, the gambling hub’s former top judge and a shoo-in for its next political leader. Sam’s comments came shortly after a report in UK...

Philip Conneller October 8, 2024
Sorare, UKGC, illegal gambling, prosecution

Fantasy Soccer Giant Sorare.com Pleads Not Guilty to Unlicensed Gambling in UK

Multibillion-dollar fantasy soccer site Sorare.com has pleaded not guilty to three counts of offering unlicensed gambling in the UK. The Paris-based platform, which allows users to trade soccer playing cards in the form of NFTs, formally entered its plea via its lawyers...

Philip Conneller October 8, 2024
Hampden County Sheriff, Nick Cocchi, MGM Springfield,

Massachusetts Sheriff Drove Cop Car to MGM Springfield Drunk, Missing Tire

A Hampden County, Mass. sheriff arrested at the MGM Springfield last month drove to the casino drunk in a police SUV with a missing tire, The Boston Globe reports. Sheriff Nick Cocchi, 51, left his Ford Explorer with blue police license plates...

Philip Conneller October 7, 2024
Texas Lottery, betting syndicate, Colossus Bets, Spinola Gaming, Ade Repcenko, Bernard Marantelli, Zeljko Ranogajec

Colossus Bets, Spinola Gaming Linked to $95M Texas Lottery Syndicate Win

The mysterious syndicate that gamed the Texas Lottery for a $95 million has been linked to Colossus Bets, the London-based parimutuel betting site, and Malta-based software provider Spinola Gaming, according to The Houston Chronicle. The syndicate, which claimed the prize via a...

Philip Conneller October 7, 2024
Long Phi Pham, Bruce Pham, Jontay Porter, NBA, Ammar Awawdeh, Timothy McCormac, Mahmud Mollah

Poker Player Pleads Guilty in Jontay Porter NBA Corruption Case

A Brooklyn poker player whose name surfaced in a 2023 cheating scandal has pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy for his role in the insider betting scandal surrounding former Toronto Raptors power forward Jontay Porter. Long Phi “Bruce” Pham, 38, was a...

Philip Conneller October 4, 2024
Eklutna Native Village, Aaron Leggett, Anthony Marnell, Marnell Companies

Alaska Tribe Clears Land in Anchorage for State’s Second Casino

Alaska’s Eklutna Tribe has begun clearing land for what it hopes will become Alaska’s second casino, The Anchorage Daily News reports. The tribe has long sought to build an electronic bingo hall on its land 20 miles outside of Anchorage. But, for...

Philip Conneller October 3, 2024
Carril Mochomos, bush track, Daniel Avila, Ramón Garcia, PETA, Levelland, Texas.

Track Announcer, Jockey Among Those Arrested in Texas Bush-Racing Raid

New details have emerged about arrests Sunday at an illegal quarter-horse racetrack, or bush track, that operated near the city of Levelland in West Texas. A total of 14 people were arrested during a raid by the Texas Department of Public Safety...

Philip Conneller October 3, 2024
Kalshi, US election betting, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, CFTC

US Election Betting Back On as Kalshi Scores in Federal Appeals Court

Financial exchange and prediction platform Kalshi relaunched its betting markets on the US presidential election on Wednesday. That’s after a federal appeals court in Washington DC denied a bid by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to halt the markets over fears they...

Philip Conneller October 2, 2024
Edwin Castro, Powerball, Jose Rivera, lawsuit, Reggie Romero

Judge Tosses $2B Claim Against Powerball Winner Edwin Castro

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge this week dismissed a lawsuit against Edwin Castro, the winner of the world’s biggest lottery prize. The complaint was filed in February 2023 by Jose Rivera, who claimed to be the rightful winner of the record-breaking...

Philip Conneller October 2, 2024
Calvin Koong, Ameristar St. Charles, Tai Ke Shabu Shabu, St. Louis

Acclaimed St. Louis Restaurateur Shot Girlfriend in Neck at Ameristar Casino, Cops Say

A 50-year-old man suspected of shooting his 27-year-old girlfriend in the neck at the Ameristar St. Charles in St. Louis, Mo., in the early hours of Saturday morning has been identified as the owner of one of the city’s top restaurants. Calvin...

Philip Conneller October 2, 2024