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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 [email protected].

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Senior Reporter

Expert since 2018

4210 stories by Philip Conneller

Thunder Valley Casino Mass-Stabbing Suspect Identified, Charged With Attempted Murder
August 20, 2026

Thunder Valley Casino Mass-Stabbing Suspect Identified, Charged With Attempted Murder

A man who allegedly ran amok with a kitchen knife in a restaurant at Northern California’s Thunder Valley Casino Resort on Wednesday (August 19) has been named and charged with attempted murder. A mugshot of Joseph...

Written by Philip Conneller
Congressman Moves to Ban Wildfire Prediction Markets Over Arson Fears
August 20, 2026

Congressman Moves to Ban Wildfire Prediction Markets Over Arson Fears

Legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Michael Baumgartner would ban federally regulated prediction markets from offering event contracts on wildfires amid growing concerns over perverse arson incentives. The aftermath of the Old Trails fire in Spokane,...

Written by Philip Conneller
Suspect Arrested After 5 Kitchen Workers Stabbed at Thunder Valley Casino
August 20, 2026

Suspect Arrested After 5 Kitchen Workers Stabbed at Thunder Valley Casino

Five people were stabbed Wednesday evening (August 19) at a restaurant inside Northern California’s Thunder Valley Casino Resort, authorities said. The stabbings took place on Wednesday evening at the Dos Coyotes restaurant at the Thunder...

Written by Philip Conneller
Elon Musk’s $1M Election Giveaway Was ‘Far From Random,’ Says Federal Judge
August 19, 2026

Elon Musk’s $1M Election Giveaway Was ‘Far From Random,’ Says Federal Judge

A federal judge in Texas has refused to dismiss a fraud lawsuit against Elon Musk over his controversial $1 million election "lottery," ruling that a jury could find its supposedly random selection process was actually...

Written by Philip Conneller
Florida AG Sues VGW, Stake, and Payment Processors Over ‘Illegal’ Sweepstakes Casinos
August 19, 2026

Florida AG Sues VGW, Stake, and Payment Processors Over ‘Illegal’ Sweepstakes Casinos

Sweepstakes casinos act as a “gateway drug” to illegal online gambling, according to Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, who filed two lawsuits Wednesday (Aug. 19) against operators VGW and Stake, as well as the payment...

Written by Philip Conneller
Top Horse Racing Handicapper and Rhodes College Professor Accused of Accessing Secret Racing Data
August 19, 2026

Top Horse Racing Handicapper and Rhodes College Professor Accused of Accessing Secret Racing Data

A Rhodes College economics professor who teaches a specialized course on racetrack wagering markets has been accused of fraud by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA). Professor Marshall Gramm, above, teaches The Economics of...

Written by Philip Conneller
PokerStars Founder Puts His $152.5M Superyacht on the Market
August 10, 2026

PokerStars Founder Puts His $152.5M Superyacht on the Market

PokerStars co-founder Mark Scheinberg is selling his $152.5 million superyacht—a floating mansion outfitted with its own helipad, infinity pool, and private beach club. One careful owner: PokerStars founder Mark Scheinberg and his yacht Synthesis, which...

Written by Philip Conneller
Woman, 89, Dies Nine Days After Car Plunged Into Pennsylvania Casino Pond
August 9, 2026

Woman, 89, Dies Nine Days After Car Plunged Into Pennsylvania Casino Pond

An 89-year-old Pennsylvania woman has died nine days after she was pulled alive from a vehicle after it plunged into a retention pond at Mount Airy Casino Resort, a crash that also killed her husband....

Written by Philip Conneller
Costa Rica Sportsbook Operator Forfeits $25M, Avoids Prison in Tradewinds Case
August 9, 2026

Costa Rica Sportsbook Operator Forfeits $25M, Avoids Prison in Tradewinds Case

A Costa Rica-based operator who admitted to running the offshore sportsbook Tradewinds avoided prison time and was ordered to forfeit $25 million in illegal proceeds, according to recently uncovered federal court records. Michael “Scott” Brannon,...

Written by Philip Conneller
Spanish Widow Sues Over €35K Lottery Prize After Late Husband Forged Her Gambling Blacklist Filing
August 7, 2026

Spanish Widow Sues Over €35K Lottery Prize After Late Husband Forged Her Gambling Blacklist Filing

A 79-year-old Spanish widow is fighting to collect a €35,000 (US$40,000) lottery prize after discovering her “sexist” late husband forged her signature to place her on a gambling self-exclusion list 13 years ago. A lottery...

Written by Philip Conneller