Riot Games Allows Betting on League of Legends and Valorant

John Needham, Riot Games’ lead on launches and esports, recently announced that fans can now place bets on Valorant and League of Legends matches. This move is part of their plan to create a “sustainable ecosystem” across all their games. Needham explained that they’ve partnered with sponsors in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Africa to make this possible. After years of listening to professional teams asking for betting options on Riot Games titles, they’re now jumping into the mix. Riot Games acknowledged that not everyone might be thrilled about betting, but they also know that unregulated bets are happening around their games’ pro competitions already. By getting involved, they hope to bring some order to this activity, creating a new partnership program for betting that could generate more revenue and support rule development, all while strengthening the integrity of their competitions. This change might stem from recent Valorant controversies involving allegations of teams colluding due to unlicensed bets. Data from Sportradar shows over 9 billion euros have been wagered on League of Legends esports alone, with 70% of these bets happening on unregulated sites and illegal gambling houses. By taking control, Riot Games aims to make betting safer and more transparent.