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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

3299 stories by Philip Conneller

Ukraine army, online gambling Russia-Ukraine war, Zelensky, Pavlo Petrychenko

Ukraine Soldiers ‘Pawning Drones and Thermal Imagers’ to Gamble, Commander Says

Online gambling is apparently so rife among Ukrainian troops it's prompted one unit commander to petition the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, to impose restrictions. Commander Pavlo Petrychenko said the problem is so bad, some servicemen had resorted to pawning drones and thermal...

Philip Conneller April 10, 2024
Maine online casino bill, Wabanaki tribes

Maine Tribal Online Casino Bill Suffers Narrow Defeat in House

A bill that would have legalized online gaming in Maine and handed a monopoly to the state’s four Wabanaki tribes has run aground in the House. The legislation was narrowly defeated Tuesday by a vote of 74-71, The Portland Press Herald reports. State...

Philip Conneller April 10, 2024
Jian Jun Zhu, Richard Reed, Vancouver, money laundering, Silver International, Gordon Ma, Jin Cai

British Columbia Casino Money Launderer was ‘Wrong Target’ in 2020 Slaying

A notorious casino money launderer who died in a hail of bullets in a Japanese restaurant in Richmond, Metro Vancouver, wasn't the intended target, according to prosecutors. Jian Jun Zhu was the operator of Silver International, an underground bank with links to...

Philip Conneller April 10, 2024
Jan Marsalek, Egisto Ott, Russian spy, Wirecard

Wirecard Fugitive Jan Marsalek was Russian Spymaster in Europe, Says British Intelligence

Fugitive former Wirecard COO Jan Marsalek was a Russian spymaster who coordinated espionage operations across Europe, according to allegations by British intelligence that have just recently come to light. Marsalek, who fled to Russia on a false passport in the wake of...

Philip Conneller April 9, 2024
Washington Lottery, Test Drive a Win, topless image, porn

Washington State Lottery’s AI Experiment Ends Abruptly After Producing Topless Image of User

The Washington State Lottery’s experimentation with generative AI has come to an abrupt end after its new promotional app generated an unsolicited topless photo of a customer. The lottery has now pulled its “Test Drive a Win” app after just one month...

Philip Conneller April 9, 2024
Christy Kinahan, Kinahan clan, Dubai, Google reviews

Fugitive Irish Mafia Don Leaves String of Thoughtful Google Restaurant Reviews

An Irish criminal mastermind has allegedly left a trail of bodies and Google restaurant reviews in his wake as he evades the clutches of numerous governments. Christopher “Christy” Kinahan, aka “the Dapper Don,” is the founder of the Kinahan Cartel and one...

Philip Conneller April 2, 2024
Richard Gardner, child rapist, kidnapper, Twin River Tiverton, Rhode Island, Massachusetts

Notorious Child Rapist Gets Eight Years in Prison for Casino Fraud

A Rhode Island man who served 30 years in prison for kidnapping and raping children is heading back to the slammer, this time for stealing a casino rewards card. Notorious pedophile Richard Gardner, 56, was sentenced to eight years by a judge...

Philip Conneller March 29, 2024
Luftar Hysa appears on AlbaniMagic Palace Montreal casino, Luftar Hysa, Kahnawake Gaming Commission, Mohawk Council of Kahnawake.an television, above, to denounce alleged links to the Sinaloa cartel. The businessman is an “investor” in Magic Palace, according to a legal representative for the casino. (Image: CNA)

Magic Palace Casino Montreal Shut Down, Denies Links to Sinaloa Cartel

The Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC) has closed down the Magic Palace Montreal and suspended its gaming license as a result of an ongoing money laundering investigation. The casino, based in the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory, across the river from Montreal, Canada, says it...

Philip Conneller March 28, 2024
888, Evoke

UK’s 888 is Rebranding Itself as ‘Evoke’ – Analysis

UK online gambling giant 888 is changing its name to “Evoke.” CEO Per Widerström said Tuesday. The renaming was “the beginning of an exciting new dawn” for the company, which has lately been beset by management upheaval and regulatory investigations, and has...

Philip Conneller March 27, 2024
Jontay Porter, Toronto Raptors, suspicious betting, NBA

NBA Probing Iffy Betting Patterns on Raptors’ Jontay Porter

The NBA says it's investigating suspicious betting patterns surrounding Toronto Raptors’ basketball player Jontay Porter. It’s believed the investigation is focusing on two games involving Porter. The first was the January 26 game against the LA Clippers, which the Raptors lost, 127-107....

Philip Conneller March 26, 2024