Dianna Russini’s BetUS deal tests US-offshore betting tensions

BetUS has faced cease & desist orders from nearly a dozen US states, according to gaming attorney Daniel Wallach.

The hit

Dianna Russini, the former ESPN & The Athletic reporter, debuts this week on BetUS, a Costa Rica-headquartered offshore sportsbook, according to iGaming Business. She will front a weekly show & column called The Russini Report, covering league news & interviews.

Why it matters

The hiring may amplify an ongoing struggle between US sportsbooks & the offshore industry for control of North American bettors, according to iGaming Business. Jonathan Michaels, a former American Gaming Association official, argues media hires like this blur the line between licensed US sportsbooks & offshore ones that pay no US taxes. Michaels says sites like BetUS “don’t provide any meaningful consumer protections”.

The record

DOJ indictment	34-count indictment unsealed against BetUS in 2007 over alleged internet gambling law violations, filed by the US Attorney’s Office, Utah; iGaming Business says BetUS does not appear to have been sanctioned by the DOJ in at least a decade
Michigan order	Cease & desist issued to BetUS in May 2025 for unlicensed gaming (Michigan Gaming Control Board)
State actions	Several jurisdictions in the Midwest among those issuing orders (gaming attorney Daniel Wallach)
Revenue estimate	About $150m in annual revenue claimed for BetUS, though iGaming Business notes the figure is difficult to substantiate given the firm is based outside the US (ZoomInfo)
Customer base	More than 1 million clients served, BetUS says

What happens next

Watch for any response from US state regulators or the Justice Department to BetUS’s expanded media profile, & whether other licensed US operators or media outlets address its licensing status.

Sources: Will Dianna Russini’s offshore gig inflame tensions with US books?

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