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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

4174 stories by Philip Conneller

Las Vegas Court Official Fled Fatal Crash After Drunk Mission to Buy Lottery Tickets
February 4, 2025

Las Vegas Court Official Fled Fatal Crash After Drunk Mission to Buy Lottery Tickets

A senior Clark County court employee accused of causing the DUI death of another motorist on Christmas Eve, 2024 drove 90 miles from Las Vegas to Arizona on a drunken mission to buy lottery tickets,...

Written by Philip Conneller
Utah, California Men Arrested for $25M Ponzi Scheme Linked to Fake Mexican Casino
February 4, 2025

Utah, California Men Arrested for $25M Ponzi Scheme Linked to Fake Mexican Casino

Federal authorities in Utah have indicted two men for operating an alleged $25 million Ponzi scheme while convincing victims to invest in a phantom casino project in Mexico. Thomas Paul Madden, 66, of Washington City,...

Written by Philip Conneller
Full House Resumes Waukegan Casino Construction After Lawsuit
February 3, 2025

Full House Resumes Waukegan Casino Construction After Lawsuit

Las Vegas-based casino developer Full House Resorts has resumed work on its $400 million American Place Resort and Casino in Waukegan, a north Chicago suburb. When finished in late 2027, the resort will comprise a...

Written by Philip Conneller
Lucchese Soldier Pleads Guilty Over Illegal Gambling Platform ‘Rhino Sports’
February 3, 2025

Lucchese Soldier Pleads Guilty Over Illegal Gambling Platform ‘Rhino Sports’

Five members and associates of the Lucchese crime family have pleaded guilty to charges related to the operation of Rhino Sports, a Brooklyn-based illegal gambling enterprise with servers based in Costa Rica. Among them is...

Written by Philip Conneller
FIFA Won’t Punish Korean Player Accused of Match-Fixing in China
January 29, 2025

FIFA Won’t Punish Korean Player Accused of Match-Fixing in China

Soccer’s world governing body, FIFA, has refused to recognize the “global” life ban handed by the Chinese Football Association (CFA) to South Korean defensive midfielder Son Jun-ho for match-fixing. The defensive midfielder, who denies the...

Written by Philip Conneller
Malta Casino Tycoon Accused of Journalist Murder Gets Bail After 5 Years
January 27, 2025

Malta Casino Tycoon Accused of Journalist Murder Gets Bail After 5 Years

More than five years after Yorgen Fenech was intercepted by Malta’s armed forces as he attempted to flee the Mediterranean island on his yacht, the murder-suspect casino tycoon has been granted bail. Fenech, one of...

Written by Philip Conneller
Jailed Gambling Mogul Who Built ‘World’s Strangest City’ Claims to be Abused Chinese Spy
January 27, 2025

Jailed Gambling Mogul Who Built ‘World’s Strangest City’ Claims to be Abused Chinese Spy

A controversial gambling magnate arrested in Thailand in 2022 at the behest of the Chinese government is now confined to a wheelchair because of “inhumane” treatment by his Thai captors, according to his lawyer. Chinese...

Written by Philip Conneller
‘Bonanno Cop’ Raided Genovese, Gambino Gambling Dens in Queens, Long Island
January 27, 2025

‘Bonanno Cop’ Raided Genovese, Gambino Gambling Dens in Queens, Long Island

A former Long Island cop accused of working for the Bonanno crime family raided rival illegal gambling businesses operated by the Genovese and Gambino families, according to new court documents. One of the businesses targeted...

Written by Philip Conneller
Florida Officials Want Tougher Anti-Gambling Laws
January 23, 2025

Florida Officials Want Tougher Anti-Gambling Laws

Last week, authorities in Florida announced they had shut down a vast network of illegal gambling businesses stretching across the state from West Palm Beach to Fort Pierce, Vero Beach, and Zephyrhills. Police made five...

Written by Philip Conneller
Alaska Tribe Fast Tracks Gambling Hall Fearing Trump Veto
January 22, 2025

Alaska Tribe Fast Tracks Gambling Hall Fearing Trump Veto

The Native Village of Eklutna (NVE) opened a temporary electronic bingo “casino” on its land 20 miles outside of Anchorage on Monday while it rushes to build a larger venue, the Chin’an Gaming Hall, on...

Written by Philip Conneller