Riot Games has officially announced that starting in 2025, League of Legends and VALORANT teams in the Americas and EMEA regions that are partnered with Riot will be allowed to enter sponsorship agreements with licensed betting operators — subject to Riot’s approval.

The primary goal of this decision, according to Riot Games, is to generate additional funding. A portion of the revenue will be allocated to the development of the tier-2 scene — including increased prize pools, new tournaments, and the creation of tools to ensure competitive integrity. For now, this opportunity is limited to tier-1 VALORANT and LoL teams in EMEA and Americas, and teams must meet strict requirements to qualify.

Some of the key conditions include:

All betting sponsors will undergo a thorough vetting process to ensure regulatory compliance, ethical standards, and alignment with Riot’s guidelines.
Betting brand logos will not be allowed on player jerseys, in official broadcasts, or in Riot-owned content (including social media and livestreams).
Betting brands may only appear on teams’ official channels — and only under clearly defined rules.
Riot will integrate betting data to monitor suspicious activity.
A system will be established in which teams will also be held accountable for upholding competitive integrity.
It remains to be seen how attractive these heavily restricted conditions will be for betting companies looking to enter the market. However, given the size and influence of the VALORANT and LoL esports scenes, many will likely try to claim a piece of the pie. Stay tuned to our news feed to keep up with all the latest developments from the world of esports.