Casino.org logo Main menu

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.

Avatar photo

Senior Reporter

Expert since 2018

4210 stories by Philip Conneller

Trump Pardons Jack Abramoff Partner Adam Kidan in SunCruz Fraud Case Tied to Gus Boulis Murder
July 7, 2026

Trump Pardons Jack Abramoff Partner Adam Kidan in SunCruz Fraud Case Tied to Gus Boulis Murder

US President Donald Trump on Friday (July 3) granted a full pardon to Adam Kidan, whose fraudulent bid to acquire SunCruz Casinos sparked a business dispute that ended with the 2001 murder of company founder...

Written by Philip Conneller
Chumba Casino Founder Laurence Escalante Resigns From VGW Following Criminal Charges
July 7, 2026

Chumba Casino Founder Laurence Escalante Resigns From VGW Following Criminal Charges

Troubled Chumba Casino founder Laurence Escalante has permanently resigned from VGW, the online gaming company he founded in 2010 and grew into one of Australia’s largest private companies. Laurence Escalante, above, grew rich largely by...

Written by Philip Conneller
Buddhist Monk Gets 12 Years After Gambling-Fueled Sextortion Scandal
July 5, 2026

Buddhist Monk Gets 12 Years After Gambling-Fueled Sextortion Scandal

A defrocked senior Thai Buddhist monk has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for embezzling roughly US$92,000 in temple donations to pay off a high-stakes gambling debt after falling victim to an elaborate sextortion...

Written by Philip Conneller
Virginia Lottery Changes Rules to Let All Winners Stay Anonymous
July 5, 2026

Virginia Lottery Changes Rules to Let All Winners Stay Anonymous

Virginians can now claim lottery wins anonymously, regardless of the size of the prize, thanks to the passage of a new law designed to protect identities. Virginia has ended the practice of publicly identifying lottery...

Written by Philip Conneller
Once the World’s Largest Riverboat Casino, Argosy VI Gets an Incredible Second Life Beneath the Sea
July 3, 2026

Once the World’s Largest Riverboat Casino, Argosy VI Gets an Incredible Second Life Beneath the Sea

A former riverboat casino that was once the world's largest vessel of its kind was intentionally sunk off the Alabama coast on Wednesday (July 1), beginning a second life as the region's largest artificial reef....

Written by Philip Conneller
Throwing Games: French Pétanque Legends Face Match-Fixing Charges
July 3, 2026

Throwing Games: French Pétanque Legends Face Match-Fixing Charges

The normally serene world of pétanque – the French lawn game similar to bocce – is in turmoil this week as several of its most celebrated exponents stand accused of throwing a game to benefit...

Written by Philip Conneller
Malta Casino Tycoon Yorgen Fenech Goes on Trial Over Daphne Caruana Galizia Murder
July 3, 2026

Malta Casino Tycoon Yorgen Fenech Goes on Trial Over Daphne Caruana Galizia Murder

Almost seven years after casino owner Yorgen Fenech was intercepted by the Armed Forces of Malta as he allegedly attempted to flee the island aboard his yacht, his long-awaited murder trial opened Thursday in the...

Written by Philip Conneller
Circle K’s $12.8M Lottery Dispute Takes Fresh Twist as Second Employee Claims Jackpot
July 2, 2026

Circle K’s $12.8M Lottery Dispute Takes Fresh Twist as Second Employee Claims Jackpot

A bitter legal battle between Circle K and a former manager over a $12.8 million winning lottery ticket has grown even messier after a second convenience store employee stepped forward to claim a share of...

Written by Philip Conneller
New Jersey Preps Supreme Court Petition in Kalshi Sports Betting Fight
July 2, 2026

New Jersey Preps Supreme Court Petition in Kalshi Sports Betting Fight

New Jersey is poised to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to resolve the billion-dollar question: do the sports event contracts offered by prediction platforms constitute sports betting, or are they federally regulated financial derivatives? The...

Written by Philip Conneller
Michigan Court Orders Kalshi to Halt Sports Markets or Face $120K Daily Fines
July 1, 2026

Michigan Court Orders Kalshi to Halt Sports Markets or Face $120K Daily Fines

A Michigan judge has temporarily ordered Kalshi to stop offering sports event contracts in the state, warning the platform it faces $120,000 daily fines if it fails to geoblock local users. Kalshi has been ordered...

Written by Philip Conneller