3049 stories by Philip Conneller
Louisiana Historical Horse Racing Illegal Unless Local Vote, Judge Says
Historical horse race machines (HHR) are illegal in Louisiana unless they have been specifically authorized by local voters, a state court has ruled. That’s bad news for racetrack operators like Boyd Racing and Churchill Downs, which rely on the machines to boost...
Jamul Casino’s ‘Legal Carnage’ Ends with Financial Penalties
A federal judge in California hopes to end years of “legal harassment” against the Jamul Indian Village and its Jamul Casino by imposing financial penalties against the plaintiffs and their attorneys. U.S. District Judge Andrew G. Schopler noted the tiny San Diego...
Iowa State Betting Scandal: Case Against College Athletes Implodes
The case against four Iowa State athletes charged with felony identity theft in connection with a college betting scandal fell apart Friday when prosecutors asked for the charges to be dismissed. Cyclones football players Isaiah Lee, Jirehl Brock, and Eyioma Uwazurike, and...
Pace-O-Matic Lawyer Work on Virginia Skill Game Bill ‘Not Conflict of Interest’
A Virginia state senator -- who as a lawyer for skill-games manufacturer Pace-O-Matic fought the state’s ban on the machines -- is now helping to write legislation to overturn the prohibition, The Virginia Mercury reports. Sen. Bill Stanley (R-Franklin) admitted he was...
Italian Priest Finds Bleach in Communion Chalice in Suspected Mafia Hit
An Italian priest got the shock of his life as he was about to sip from a chalice of wine while saying Mass in Cessaniti, a small town in Calabria, southern Italy, on Saturday. Father Felice Palamara suddenly realized the Communion cup...
China Gives Free Lottery Tickets to Couples to Boost Birth Rates
It’s a strange aphrodisiac. But the Chinese city of Xian plans to boost birthrates by giving out free lottery tickets to newlyweds, Reuters reports. City officials hope couples uncertain about the benefits of having children will be swayed by the offer. This...
Web’s ‘Clue Heywood’ Hits All 26 Arizona Casinos in 48 Hours
An anonymous Arizona-based social media personality who uses the alias “Clue Heywood” has just completed the ultimate “dirtbag adventure.” Last weekend, Heywood, with his accomplice, the author and journalist Tom Zoellner, visited all 26 tribal casinos in Arizona within 48 hours, placed...
GeoComply Blocked Iowa Cops Investigating College Betting
Geolocation tech provider GeoComply cut off access to its software for Iowa’s Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) last month, The Des Moines Register reports. That’s after the company learned investigators were using the software to pry on athletes’ betting habits in University...
Casino del Sol in Tucson Fighting Cyber Attack
The Casino del Sol in Tucson, Ariz., said Tuesday that it had restored some semblance of normal operations after a February 21 cyber attack caused widespread system outage at the property. The FBI and the Pascua Yaqui Police Department are working together...
New Mexico Man Claims He Found 900 Fentanyl Pills Near Slots
A New Mexico man claims he just happened to find 900 fentanyl pills next to a slot machine at the Speaking Rock Casino in El Paso, Texas, and placed them in his pocket for safekeeping. A federal grand jury was skeptical and...
