About the Author
Robyn McNeil
Bio & Media Credits
Who is Robyn McNeil?
Robyn McNeil (she/they) is a lead writer at Bonus, focusing on news relevant to online casinos. She specializes in responsible gambling coverage, legislative developments, gambling regulations, and gambling-related legal fights.
Career-wise, McNeil is something of a Girl Friday, with experience across industries, including culinary arts, music, film, tech, and journalism. She started her journey with Catena Media in early 2021 as a freelancer at Online Poker Report before quickly transitioning to a full-time role. Before joining Bonus in March 2023, McNeil mainly wrote and edited for PlayCanada, PlayOntario (since retired), and PlayIllinois. McNeil has also contributed to PlayNY, PlayOhio, and PlayMaryland, which are all part of Catena’s affiliate network.
Outside of office hours, you’ll most likely find Robyn twisting herself into challenging shapes, digging in the dirt, or exploring the coastlines of Nova Scotia, where she lives in an empty nest with her cat, Edith.
Robyn McNeil in the Media
- Media Musings, Gaming News Canada Newsletter, Nov. 2, 2023
- Come on Barbie, Let’s go Gamble: Is gambling advertising allowed in a Barbie world?, Ifrah Law, Aug. 7, 2023
- On The Homefront, Gaming News Canada Newsletter, Feb. 23, 2023
- Sports Betting Goes Live In Ontario: Why It’s Important, Business Insider, Apr. 4, 2022
- This Has Been A Long Time In The Making’: IGaming Launches In Ontario, CTV Windsor, Apr. 4, 2022
- Online gambling expected to create more Ontario jobs, CTV Windsor, Apr. 1, 2022
- PlayCanada Report Outlines Job Creation Potential In Ontario, Canadian Gaming Business, March 29, 2022
- Report Argues Online Gambling Will Create 1300 Jobs In Ontario, iheartradio.ca, March 29, 2022
Top Bonus.com Articles by Robyn McNeil
- GambleAware Research Seeks Understanding of LGBTQ+ Gambling Harm, Jan. 18, 2024
- NCLGS to Craft Model iGaming Legislation for States Considering Expansion, Jan 12, 2024
- Social Media Linked to Higher Rates of Teenage Gambling, Risky Behaviors, Dec. 19, 2023
- Operator Data Reveals Most Gamblers Pass on Available RG Tools, Nov. 29. 2023
- ADHD & Problem Gambling: ADHD Symptoms Predict More Severe Relapses, Nov. 15, 2023
- The Federal Investigation Into Scott Sibella: What Do We Know?, Oct. 20, 2023
- ‘Robin Hood 702’: Who is the Gambler Behind the Sibella Lawsuit?, Oct. 19, 2023
- Researchers Investigate ‘Magic Mushrooms’ as Problem Gambling Aid, Oct. 10, 2023
- New ‘Ticket in-Bonus Out’ Casino Tech Could Pose Problem Gambling Risk, Sept. 6. 2023
- Reddit Gamblers Show Surprising Interest in UberEats & Other Subreddits, June 16, 2023
Other Writing by Robyn McNeil
PlayIllinois, Illinois Gambling History Series
- Black Sox Down: The 1919 Chicago White Sox Scandal (Part 2), Dec. 16. 2022
- Black Sox Down: The 1919 Chicago White Sox Scandal (Part 1), Dec. 15. 2022
- John “Mushmouth” Johnson, Chicago’s Black Gambling King, Dec. 1, 2022
- Corruption, Extravagance, And Ingenuity In Early Illinois Gambling, Nov. 17, 2022
- King Of Chicago To US Race Wire Gambling Czar, Meet Mont Tennes, Nov. 4, 2022
- Bullets, Ballots And Bribery Define Early Illinois Gambling History, Oct. 21, 2022
Contact Info
To reach Robyn with a news tip, email her at [email protected].
Latest articles
Sounds of Nature Reduce Stress in Gambling Disorder Sufferers: Japanese Research
A new study out of Japan found nature therapy lowers the stress levels of people struggling with problem gambling. The research by Yoshifumi Miyazaki, out of Tokyo’s Chiba University, confirmed “nature sounds” have a similarly calming effect on people experiencing problem gambling as those who aren’t. While further investigation is needed, the study’s preliminary findings […]
Coney Island Leaders Oppose Proposed Casino on Historic Boardwalk
The Coney Island consortium vying for one of three New York downstate casino licenses will face stiff competition from the neighborhood. Community board members voted 23-8 to reject the New York casino proposal. The plan to build a casino and entertainment complex along Brooklyn’s historic boardwalk is an ambitious one. It emerged from a collaboration […]
Charlie Sheen Joins Cast of HBO Max Comedy, “How to Be a Bookie”
Charlie Sheen is returning to television in HBO Max’s upcoming bookmaking comedy, How to Be a Bookie (HTBAB). The rise of sports betting in the US – illegal in all states but Nevada until 2018 – may be sparking a similar interest in shows and movies on the subject. It would be a repeat of […]
Detroit Cannabis Casino Set to Expand to More Michigan Locations
The Reef, one of Detroit’s first cannabis dispensaries, is marketing itself as the city’s first “cannabis casino.” It may well be the first such mashup anywhere in the country. The company says the promotion doesn’t count as gambling because players don’t have to pay to enter. However, the concept hasn’t been tested in court, and […]
New Research on Gambling Harm Backs Multi-Operator Self-Exclusion Benefits
A new study from Ipsos backs earlier evidence that multi-operator self-exclusion schemes can help counter gambling harms. Commissioned by UK gambling addiction charity GamCare, the study suggests self-exclusion is often effective in combination with other intervention strategies. Researchers conducted 30 follow-up interviews with self-excluders who had participated in a previous study funded by GambleAware. Ipsos published […]
Appeals Court Upholds AGLC Authority Over Online Gambling Site, PlayAlberta
Alberta’s top court has ruled the Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) had the right to establish its online gambling site PlayAlberta, despite a First Nations challenge. The three-member Alberta appeals court panel dismissed the case, upholding a 2022 lower-court decision that sided with the province. Tsuut’ina and Stoney Nakoda First Nations first challenged […]
Battle Over $40 Million Seized in Failed Ontario Gambling Ring Bust Begins
Ontario is embroiled in a legal battle over control of $40 million seized from an alleged illegal gambling ring. Although prosecutors failed to obtain any significant criminal convictions from Project Hobart, the province’s Civil Remedies Act allows the government the possibility of holding on to the proceeds from the suspected crimes. Project Hobart was a two-year […]
Judge Dismisses MGM Resorts ‘Pocket Change’ Class Action Over Jurisdiction
A federal judge has dismissed a proposed class action lawsuit against MGM Resorts on behalf of players the lead plaintiff claims were short-changed. The suit alleged MGM’s “no-change policy” effectively taxed casino slots players who failed to cash out coin vouchers. However, Judge Halil Suleyman Ozerden of Mississippi dismissed the case, ruling the court has […]
Cyber-Attack Shutters Gateway’s Network of Ontario Casinos
All fourteen Ontario casinos operated by Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Limited remain shut down thanks to what the company is now describing as a cyberattack. The problems began Sunday, April 16, but the company did not initially disclose the cause. While a fix is underway, there is currently no timeline for reopening. Casinos are a […]
Kindred’s Proprietary Unibet Online Casino Platform Licensed for Launch in New Jersey
New Jersey’s Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE) has granted Unibet owner Kindred Group final approval for its proprietary gambling platform. That means Unibet players in NJ can expect an upgrade to their online casino experience shortly. The regulator’s blessing completes Kindred’s last regulatory hurdle before it can launch its new tech in New Jersey next […]
