Dianna Russini joins BetUS as offshore sportsbooks keep pushing into the US media space

Dianna Russini will launch a weekly show on BetUS, the Costa Rica-headquartered online sportsbook founded in 1994. For the offshore gaming side, this is not just a media hire; it is another reminder that visibility, distribution, and licensing status are now part of the same fight for North American bettors.

1. Russini, 43, resigned from The Athletic in April after criticising the media for “self-feeding speculation” that she said was “unmoored from the facts.” She had previously worked at ESPN and The Athletic, and on Wednesday she is scheduled to debut on BetUS.
2. Under the deal, BetUS will become the home of The Russini Report, a weekly live show and column covering league news, matchups, and guest interviews. Russini said in a statement: “Football has always been my favorite sport to cover, and I’ve really missed being in the middle of the action, breaking stories and connecting fans to what’s happening across the league.”
3. BetUS describes itself as a multilingual online gambling website headquartered in Costa Rica. It has also been linked to crypto-funded wagering: as of 2024, customers could make deposits through Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, and Ethereum, and the site includes a bonus page tied to cryptocurrency as well as a “crypto help” dropdown.
4. The company’s public-facing scale is hard to pin down, which is standard for offshore operators. According to ZoomInfo, BetUS generates annual revenue of about $150 million, while the operator says it serves more than 1 million clients.
5. The hire comes as US sportsbooks and the offshore sector continue competing for North American bettors. When the news broke on Monday, a former American Gaming Association official noted that a prominent outlet had not made a single reference to the sportsbook’s licensing status, which is exactly the kind of omission that keeps this fight interesting for everyone who has to underwrite, route, or police the payments.

BetUS also previously struck a deal with NFL Hall of Fame defensive tackle Warren Sapp to host a sports radio program. For payment teams, the practical point is simple: media reach is now part of offshore acquisition strategy, and that can affect brand exposure, traffic quality, and the scrutiny that comes with both.