Riot Games Opens Up to Gambling Sponsorships

By LOLValue Team · March 13, 2026

June of last year saw an announcement from Riot Games’ President of Publishing and Esports that sent more than a few ripples through the gaming world. After a considerable time spent holding out against permitting sponsors from the world of sports betting to support teams, it was time to give in. In the announcement great care was taken to provide context and give reasons for making the decision. The main thrust of the argument was a familiar one in this day and age. When something is inevitable it’s better to engage directly with it in order to maintain some control.

It’s undeniable that betting on esports, and on Riot Games in particular, is now well and truly bedded in to its ecosystem. According to figures produced by Sportradar and cited on Riot’s own website, 2024 saw more that $10.7 billion being wagered on their games. But only 30% of this figure was wagered through legitimate, licensed and regulated operators.

Betting on LOL in particular has become incredibly popular. So much so that you’ll find many online guides showing how it’s done. It’s also undeniable that running teams that can compete in tournaments at the highest level is a very expensive business that couldn’t exist without external funding. Many other teams already receive support from sports betting companies so the decision by Riot has been very much one of a “If you can’t beat them, join them” approach.

Strict guidelines

That’s not to say that there aren’t many restrictions being placed around allowing teams to court these kinds of sponsors. The first of these is that it’s only open to Tier 1 LOL and Valorant teams based in the Americas and EMEA. Riot takes its responsibilities to these very seriously so will be heavily involved in overseeing any negotiations.

This will involve monitoring that best practices are being followed in drawing up agreements and making sure that everything is done in line with Riot’s official policies. The first step will always be to vet sports betting partners to make sure that they are reputable and licensed businesses.

Because of the digital nature of esports using accurate and authorised data is key to providing fairness to bettors. Therefore all potential sponsors will have to agree to use the official GRID service in calculating odds and any other offerings that they may make.

There are demands on the teams themselves to demonstrate their own integrity in working with their potential sports betting partners. This is to ensure that they are acting and playing properly, safeguarding both players and their audiences and maintaining responsible betting. There have been questions asked about why Tier 2 teams are excluded from signing with sports betting companies, but it’s felt that it will be best to see how things work out with Tier 1 teams first.

However, Tier 2 teams will benefit from some of the revenue raised which will trickle down and fund increased prize pools and pay for training and education programmes to help aspiring professional players.

The benefits for sponsors

For sponsors the esports sector is one that offers huge potential, both locally and internationally. With an estimated 640 million followers worldwide, it represents a massive market and one which may not be so easy to reach by other, more traditional, channels.

There are also fairly tight restrictions placed on advertising for sports and online casino betting, so this provides a very attractive alternative. This is particularly the case where markets are opening up such as in Alberta, soon to legalize online betting. Already review sites like Casino.ca Alberta are featuring leading casinos and the additional push from strategic sponsorship deals can only help to secure many new players for them. And, with audiences only set to increase as esports become more and more established, this is a very good time to get in on the ground floor with Riot.

Addressing community concerns

As with any move like this, there’s always going to be a certain level of disquiet among the wider community. Some feel that it’s not appropriate to encourage betting among a predominantly young audience. Others feel that this represents the over-commercialization of esports.

Riot has already shown that they are sensitive to these criticisms and have stipulated that no broadcast will feature direct advertising for sports betting nor will their social media channels. There will also be no sponsor logos on team clothing and the way that teams use their sponsor-based content will be closely monitored. The decision by Riot Games to ease up on its sponsorship rules reflects a wider move in the world of esports to react to the changing landscape and growing popularity of the game.

And, as the esports ecosystem continues to expand and mature, we can expect to see many more developments of this kind, and many more partnerships evolving.

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