
Derek Helling
Assistant Managing Editor
Derek Helling is the assistant managing editor of PlayUSA. He broke into covering the legal US gambling industry in North America in 2018 while PASPA still existed and the only reason anyone knew anything about the Federal Wire Act of 1961 was that Robert F. Kennedy made a big deal of it when he was JFK’s attorney general.
Within a broader scope of gaming, Helling focuses on reporting breaking news in addition to industry-related financial, regulatory, and technological updates. He loves to think about what’s next for the online gambling industry and the role that online gambling plays in society as a whole.
Prior to writing about gambling, Helling covered the business and legal aspects of sports for publications like FanSided’s flagship site, Ozy, and myriad other publications.
Helling completed his journalism degree at the University of Iowa. He authored a chapter on the economics of the National Football League in the Kendall Hunt textbook, “Sport Finance.”
Below is a sample of work:
Stories written about gambling regulation in the US
- Advocacy for Fairness in Sports: Florida’s NIL Law Makes The State Another Predator For College Athletes’ Economic Interests
- FanSided: 5 things to know about the Supreme Court PASPA ruling
- FanSided: How NFL teams treat cheerleaders is no surprise
- Ozy: The NBA 2K League Is Ready To Go Coast To Coast… To Coast
- PlayIndiana: Indiana Sportsbooks Keep Adding Sports, But NWSL Remains On The Outs
- PlayMA: The Saga Of First Light Casino Just Keeps Going
- PlayTenn: TN Lottery Board Runs Sports Betting, But Arguably Knows Very Little About It
- TheLines: MLB Sign-Stealing Suggests It Should Be The One Paying ‘Integrity Fees’
PlayUSA article highlights
- Tribal Gaming Investment Opportunities Could Represent Substantial Returns
- Cameras Can Make Gambling More Intelligent If Used To Full Potential
- Penn Counsel Tells Regulator Company Has No Data On Barstool Conversions
- The NCAA’s Gambling Surveys Aren’t About Gambling
- Will PointsBet Acquisition Make Fanatics A Contender For Online Casino Dominance?
- Alabama Baseball Situation Proves Once Again That Regulation Protects Gamblers
- Apple Update Could Make You Even More Sick Of Sportsbook Commercials
- New WWE Ownership Does Not Signal Possible Betting Opportunities
- NY Sports Betting Regulations Make Bad Theory Worse In Practice With Official Data Mandate
- Choctaw Nation’s Funding Of Arkansas Casino Petition Has Little To Do With Pope County
Podcast and video appearances
- She Plays: Sports Betting in Women’s Sports!
- Locked on Yankees: Talking about the Lockout with Derek Helling
- Beckett Live: Beckett Live Presents Sportswriter Derek Helling
- Vegas Hockey Podcast: Derek Helling
- The Biscuit: Episode 155 Derek Helling
Posts by Derek Helling:
- Tennessee Collects $4.4 Million In Sports Betting Taxes For August, 22 Sep 2023
- Kentucky’s Physical Sportsbooks Take Over $4 Million In Bets So Far, 22 Sep 2023
- Caesars Offers Early App Registration Bonus In Kentucky, 21 Sep 2023
- August Brings New Nebraska Gambling Tax Record, 21 Sep 2023
- Gambling Regulators Would Help Gaming Companies By Banning Celebrity Ads, 21 Sep 2023
- Kansas’ Prairie Band Casino Locks Down Sportsbook Partnership With Kambi, 20 Sep 2023
- August Becomes Second-Best Month Ever For Pennsylvania Online Casinos, 20 Sep 2023
- Massachusetts Casinos Post Strongest August Revenue Numbers Ever, 19 Sep 2023
- Delaware Online Casinos Keep August Gambling Revenue Steady, 18 Sep 2023
- Virginia Casinos Continue To Grow With New August Revenue High, 18 Sep 2023