Derek Helling
Lead Writer
Derek Helling is a lead writer for 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 legislation and litigation happening in the industry. He loves to read hundreds of pages of a gambling bill or lawsuit so his audience doesn’t have to.
Prior to writing about gambling, Helling covered the business and legal aspects of sports for publications like FanSided’s flagship site, Ozy, and other Catena Media sites. Readers can also currently find him writing about food and restaurants for Mashed.
Helling completed his journalism degree at the University of Iowa.
Below is a sample of work:
Stories written about sports and 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
- An Inside Look At One Of The First Iowa Sportsbooks
- Billionaire Puts A New Twist On Fantasy Sports With Monkey Knife Fight
- Handle19 Wants To Be Both The First And Most Unique Sportsbook In Washington, DC
- Legal Missouri Sports Betting May Be A Long Shot Because The ‘Politics Are So Messy’
- On Verge Of Public Listing, Luckbox Eyes Challenges, Opportunities In North America
- Sporting KC President Is Bullish About Legalizing Sports Betting In Kansas
- Regulated Sports Betting Provides Solutions For Athletes, Sports
- NY Sports Betting Regulations Make Bad Theory Worse In Practice With Official Data Mandate
- Gamban Founder Wants To Aid US Gambling Industry’s Responsible Gambling Efforts
- Choctaw Nation’s Funding Of Arkansas Casino Petition Has Little To Do With Pope County
Podcast and video appearances
- 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:
- Caesars Adds Live NFL Games To Its In-App Streaming Menu, 05 Dec 2022
- Revamped Responsible Gambling Campaign Offers Advice For Ohioans, 02 Dec 2022
- New FanDuel Casino Marketing Materials Raise Responsible Gambling Concerns, 01 Dec 2022
- Opinion: Ohio Sports Betting Launch Should Skip Pete Rose ‘Redemption Tour’, 01 Dec 2022
- Broadway Trade Association Opposes Times Square Casino Bid, 30 Nov 2022
- Chicago Teams Could Get Sports Betting Licenses, 29 Nov 2022
- Stars CEO Believes Texas Legislature Will Submit Gambling Expansion Proposal, 29 Nov 2022
- Maryland Sports Betting Apps Set To Launch Wednesday, 22 Nov 2022
- Real Estate Developer Plans To Submit New York Casino Bid, 22 Nov 2022
- DraftKings Executes Soft Launch In Maryland, 21 Nov 2022