Riot Games’ Chief Operating Officer, Whalen Rozelle, has announced that professional esports teams will be permitted to secure betting sponsorships. This decision, however, will hinge on betting operators fulfilling local regulatory and licensing requirements.
This update comes after Riot Games’ esports president, John Needham, shared in March that there would be novel sponsorship categories, including alcoholic products and organizations related to government entities.
A few months later, the sponsorship arena has widened further to incorporate gambling firms. These firms will be allowed to team up with participants in two of Riot Games’ flagship esports titles: League of Legends (LoL) and Valorant.
The revelation made headlines recently when esports influencer MonteCristo tweeted, “Riot will be allowing esports teams to have betting sponsors in League of Legends and Valorant in 2025.”
On December 16, Rozelle took to social media platform X to elaborate on this new approach and to outline how Riot Games plans to shield the industry from irresponsible entities.
Rozelle stated, “There has been some discussion about team policies and betting platforms lately, and I thought a bit of context could be useful.”
“A few weeks back, we informed our partnered LoL esports and VCT [Valorant Champions Tour] teams in the Americas and EMEA regions that starting in 2025, they could pursue partnerships with betting platforms approved by Riot.”
“This decision was not made hastily—it is the result of meticulous research and planning aimed at creating new revenue streams for teams while safeguarding competitive fairness and the overall experience for fans.”
While the inclusion of gambling sponsors is set to become part of the Riot Games ecosystem, Rozelle emphasized that Riot-owned channels will steer clear of betting-related content.
Furthermore, he stated that sportsbooks interested in partnering with esports teams must comply with local regulations in addition to Riot’s internal standards.
“Key points worth noting: Riot-owned channels will remain betting-free. We will not feature betting brands on our broadcasts, social media, or jerseys.”
“[Moreover] Riot will evaluate all potential betting partners to ensure they align with our criteria for integrity, transparency, and fan engagement.”
He also mentioned, “All sportsbooks teaming up with our teams should adhere to local regulatory and licensing prerequisites and meet Riot’s standards concerning content and promotion in this context.
“This is a fresh sponsorship category for our esports division, and we’ll handle it with care. We’ll gain insights throughout this journey, and we’ll make adjustments if at any point it undermines the sport’s integrity or negatively affects the premium experience our fans currently enjoy.”
“Based on the outcomes of this initial phase, we will consider options to expand—or adjust—our strategy moving forward.”
The original article “Gambling sponsorships to be allowed in Riot Games esports from 2025” was published on EGR Intel.