Riot Games is opening up gambling and betting sponsorships across the Valorant and League of Legends esports scenes, the company confirmed on Thursday.
In an official blog post announcing the update, Riot explained the reasons behind its decision to reverse a policy it had upheld for over a decade.
According to Riot’s president of publishing and esports, John Needham, the change is part of the company’s broader effort to “invest in a sustainable ecosystem.”
“We know sports betting isn’t for everyone, and that some fans have strong feelings about it, and we respect that,” the statement reads. “However, the reality is that betting activity already exists around our sports and will continue whether we engage with it or not.”
“Historically, this has been a restricted sponsorship category, and Riot has not engaged with betting companies. Teams have asked us to reconsider our stance, and after years of analysis to ensure we got it right, we agreed it was time to open up this category to create more revenue opportunities for teams.”
According to Sportradar, global betting turnover on LoL Esports and the Valorant Champions Tour alone reached $10.7 billion in 2024. However, Riot notes that 70% of all sports bets are still placed through unregulated markets with unlicensed bookmakers.
Needham reveals that Riot is looking to make a “guardrails first” approach to gambling, with the company vetting and approving all potential sports betting sponsors.
“We believe it’s better to engage in allowing betting sponsorships — thoughtfully, carefully, and with the right protections — than to sit on the sidelines while risks to fans and integrity go unchecked,” Needham continues.
“We’ve said before that Riot is all in for the long term on our esports, and that means stepping into arenas like sports betting with an objective to both guide and protect our brands from bad actors by establishing what good looks like, while also providing an avenue for teams to benefit financially.”
Notably, these sponsorship opportunities will be limited to Tier 1 LoL Esports and VCT teams in the Americas and EMEA. A portion of the revenue Riot earns from betting partnerships will be reinvested into the Tier 2 scenes through larger prize pools, new tournaments, and educational programs for tournament organizers and aspiring professionals.
However, Riot clarifies that “Riot-owned broadcast and social channels will stay betting-free.” While teams can partner with sports betting sponsors, they won’t be allowed to display those brands during Riot-operated broadcasts.
