esport/Riot Games: betting sponsorship authorised in the Americas & EMEA with restricted visibility

Riot Games is to allow partnerships with sports betting operators for professional League of Legends (LoL) and Valorant competitions in the Americas and EMEA regions, announced John Needham, president of publishing and esports at Riot Games, on 27/06/2025. This decision comes in response to requests from professional teams and is intended to create new revenue streams.

"Teams have asked us to reconsider our stance. 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," said John Needham. According to data from sports technology company Sportradar, the total volume of bets placed on League of Legends and Valorant exceeds $10.7bn (€9.12bn), 70% of which is placed on unregulated sites.

Riot Games has established three safeguards to "protect the fan and esport event experience":
• vetting and approval of all potential betting sponsors;
• betting sponsors' commitment to an integrity programme;
• a ban on sports betting operators displaying their…