Riot Games Opens Door to Betting Sponsors in Valorant and League of Legends Esports

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Betting sponsorships are officially coming to top-tier Valorant and League of Legends esports, as confirmed by Riot Games. This policy shift marks a significant turn for the publisher, which had previously avoided partnerships with gambling companies.

The announcement came through a detailed blog post by John Needham, Riot’s president of esports and publishing. In it, he outlined the company’s reasons for the change, explaining that it’s part of a broader plan to create a more “sustainable ecosystem” for Riot’s competitive titles. According to Needham, this decision was largely influenced by persistent requests from professional teams seeking new revenue streams.

For now, the betting sponsorships will be permitted in the Americas and EMEA regions only. Riot hasn’t indicated whether this policy will expand globally. Still, the decision has already sparked widespread discussions — some supporting it as a financial lifeline, others expressing concern over the ethical implications.

Needham acknowledged the controversy, noting that while not everyone supports the idea of integrating gambling into esports, the reality is that betting already happens — often on unregulated platforms. He cited data from sports tech firm Sportradar, which revealed that more than $10.7 billion was wagered on League of Legends esports alone, with 70% of that happening via unlicensed operators.

In light of this, Riot says it prefers to manage betting partnerships itself rather than ignore the issue altogether. The company is introducing three core “guardrails” for the rollout: allowing betting sponsors to support teams financially, promoting regulation and education around esports betting, and reinforcing competitive integrity at events.

That last point is especially timely. The Valorant tier two scene recently came under fire following a video by Shopify Rebels’ GM Sean Gares, exposing ongoing match-fixing and game-throwing incidents. Riot has promised to conduct thorough vetting of all betting partners and implement integrity checks at the team level. Proceeds from these sponsorships will also be funneled into supporting lower-tier esports — a segment that’s been struggling to stay afloat.

However, Riot has drawn a line when it comes to advertising. Betting promotions won’t be allowed on any official Riot-owned broadcasts. But that doesn’t include co-streams, which make up a huge chunk of viewership. As per a report by Esports Charts, around 40% of English-speaking viewers for League of Legends Worlds events watch through co-streams — and those streamers could still run betting ads.

So why now? Esports has long battled financial instability. Despite massive growth in visibility and hype over the years, it’s still far from profitable for many teams. Much of the investment during the pandemic boom fizzled out post-COVID, leaving organizations scrambling for sustainable revenue.

With investor interest cooling and expenses still mounting, esports organizations are desperate for steady income — and betting sponsors offer just that. The push for this change came directly from the teams, as Needham’s statement makes clear.

In the end, Riot’s new sponsorship strategy might help stabilize its esports scene financially, but it also brings with it some heavy baggage. It’s a calculated gamble — one the entire industry will now be watching closely.