Meet Devin O'Connor, our News Writer
Devin O’Connor is a senior reporter for Casino.org who's been on the team since 2014 following a career in pop culture and television. He's written over 5,000 articles in that time and is constantly on the lookout for the next big news story. Based in the US, Devin covers everything from gambling regulations to sports betting.
About Devin O'Connor
Devin worked at MTV Networks/Viacom from 2005 to 2010 as a writer and producer, where his credits included Total Request Live, New Year's Eve specials, and a special featuring poker superstar Daniel Negreanu. He later moved on to the HGTV/DIY Network, where he created, wrote, and produced three series specials: That's So House Hunters, That's So 80s, and That's So 90s.
What makes Devin an expert?
Devin's been working as an award-winning journalist for Casino.org since 2014, and he's got valuable media experience under his belt too. His time at Casino.org has seen him cover topics from US politics to the latest additions to the Las Vegas strip.
Experience
Casino.org
- News reporter – 2014 - Present
Devo Media
- Executive Producer & Writer – May 2012 - May 2015
MTV Networks
- Writer and Production Coordinator - January 2006 - October 2009
Education
- Penn State University, Bachelor of Arts
Award-winning journalist
New Jersey Society of Professional Journalism Award winner
10+ years
Devin has been working in the industry for over ten years
Penn State University
His degree helped him become a critical thinker and excellent writer
High profile features
You can find his work in The Wealth Advisor, The Nevada Post, Carson City Current
How does Devin stay up to date?
"I'm a reader of all news, and regularly flip across the nightly cable news broadcasts to see how the outlets are covering the daily stories. I'm a regular reader of the Associated Press, The Wall Street Journal, CDC Gaming Reports, The Nevada Independent, CBS News, and Fox Business. Although, for breaking news, I find X (formerly Twitter) to be the best place to stay up to date."
Associated Press
The Associated Press is one of the longest-running news sources, and it prides itself on unbiased, accurate news reporting.
The Wall Street Journal
Covering both US and global news stories, the Wall Street Journal is a well-respected publication. They've been breaking stories since the 1880s, offering readers their fact-based journalism.
CDC Gaming Reports
This outlet publishes news focused on the world of gambling, both in the US and more internationally too. CDC Gaming Reports have writers around the world to bring you top stories.
The Nevada Independent
What better place to get gambling news than from the state that's home of Vegas? The Nevada Independent covers lots of topics, including health care, politics, and the economy.
Devin's Awards
Devin recently won 1st place for Best Business/Consumer Story with his article, "Atlantic City Casino Smoking Lingers 45 Years After State Legalized Gambling”. This is a prestigious award and a double win for Casino.org as we won 2nd place with a story by Steve Bittenbender, another of our top reporters.
Q&A with Devin
How did your career in writing start?
I studied theatre at Penn State University with aspirations to take my talents to Broadway or Hollywood. However, during my four years in State College, I fell in love with script writing. My first job was in production management at Viacom/MTV Networks. I told my superiors my true passion was writing, and a producer eventually gave me a chance to write a morning talk show. After a few months, I was offered a full-time writing position at "Total Request Live" with host Carson Daly, and later, Damien Fahey. During my time at "TRL," I had the privilege to meet and work with several of my idols, including Robin Williams and Will Ferrell.
How did you get into journalism?
I spent several years writing for television. After departing MTV, I worked at HGTV/DIY networks. My time there was highlighted by a special I created and executive produced called "That's So House Hunters." The one-hour program poked fun at some of the recurring themes and outlandish personalities. My wife at the time unfortunately developed cancer and we moved back to our South-Central Pennsylvania hometown to be closer to family and nearer her oncologist at Johns Hopkins.
During this time, I sought remote work and eventually got paired up with Casino.org. As a TV writer, I had a lot to learn, and thankfully, our then-Editor Hannah Elisabeth guided me through it all. I wouldn't be here today without Hannah. Over a decade later, I absolutely love the gaming news world.
What are your favorite articles you've written?
Being here since 2014, this is no easy question. However, a few that come to mind include the May 2018 Supreme Court decision overturning the federal sports betting ban, Donald Trump's 2016 upset (which kept me up until 6 am after I pre-wrote an article with Hillary Clinton winning), and the Steve Wynn sexual misconduct saga.
Devin's areas of expertise
Over the last ten years working in iGaming news, Devin has covered stories for almost every aspect of the industry and beyond. Despite his wide-ranging knowledge, he specializes in the following topics:
Legislation
Staying on top of the US gambling market and regulation changes is one of the hottest topics for Devin to cover at Casino.org News. He's always following leads of any upcoming changes at state and country level.
Politics
The world of politics changes fast and always gets a lot of attention from our readers. I stay on top of what's happening in the White House and more locally at state level so I can keep our site updated with the top stories.
Devin O'Connor's top posts
It's not just Devin doing the research...
Our team of casino writers, editors, and fact checkers triple check everything to ensure we only ever recommend safe, secure casinos. Meet more of our team below: