When Riot announced it would start allowing betting company sponsors for Tier 1 League of Legends and VALORANT teams in the Americas and EMEA, it immediately felt like the start of a new era. After years of avoiding any direct association with the sector, the studio is now openly acknowledging that it needs this money to keep the esports ecosystem standing.
At the same time, it is trying to enforce a strict set of safeguards to protect players and fans. The decision comes in the middle of the so-called esports winter, a phrase that has become shorthand for mass layoffs, league shutdowns and organizations struggling to keep basic operations running, including in the North American LCS.
Operating costs have grown faster than revenue, while the post-pandemic investment wave cooled off sharply. On top of that, betting money has been circulating around LoL and VALORANT tournaments for a long time.
John Needham, president of publishing and esports, cites Sportradar data showing that global betting volume involving just LoL Esports and the VCT reached about $10.7 billion in 2024. In this new landscape, it is not only traditional sportsbooks that see an opening.
Exchanges, digital wallets and crypto-based entertainment platforms, including those that blend match betting with Bitcoin casino games, now gain an official lane to get closer to teams and fans, especially in the U.S. market.
What Exactly Did Riot Change In Its Sponsorship Rules
For now, the change announced by Riot applies to Tier 1 League of Legends and VALORANT teams in the Americas and the EMEA region. Instead of simply opening a generic gambling category, the company created a specific betting sponsorship program, described as a pillar to make the ecosystem more sustainable over the long term.
The model has three main pillars. First, any betting company interested in sponsoring teams must be pre-approved by Riot, going through a vetting process that looks at licensing, compliance track record and adherence to local laws. Riot says it intends to apply the same level of scrutiny to all operators, precisely to avoid overly creative brands trying to slip through loopholes in the system.
Second, every approved betting partner is required to use official data supplied by GRID, the company Riot signed a global partnership with in 2023. The idea is that odds and markets are built on a single trusted data feed, reducing room for manipulation, distorted information or the use of pirate feeds that fuel the gray market.
Third, teams must implement internal integrity programs. That includes clear policies on betting for players and staff, tools to monitor suspicious patterns and ongoing education on conduct rules, with a focus on protecting athletes and younger audiences and reinforcing responsible gambling practices.
It is in this landscape filtered by licenses, official data and integrity programs that you start to see not only major traditional sportsbooks, but also crypto brands looking to claim a spot. Instead of operating only on the fringes through streamers and one-off campaigns, these brands now have a chance to position themselves as official partners of teams, leagues or content hubs.
On some platforms, the experience usually blends betting markets for LoL and VALORANT series with typical crypto casino products. In the same lobby, users can see blackjack tables denominated in BTC alongside roulette, crash games and other provably fair titles. For many crypto-native bettors, this crossover between esports and casino games means they no longer need to leave the platform to look for a separate bitcoin casino.
That is where a fan, after watching a best-of-five, can decide to play blackjack with Bitcoin using the same wallet they already use for match bets. The table stakes, payouts and even bonuses are all calculated in BTC, which appeals to users who already keep most of their bankroll in crypto.
Because the games are optimized for digital coins, withdrawals tend to be faster and fees lower than in a traditional online casino, and from there the player can move on to other on-chain games, all inside the same digital entertainment ecosystem.
Riot has also made it clear that part of the revenue generated by the sponsorship program will be reinvested into Tier 2, boosting prize pools, funding new tournaments and strengthening integrity systems and educational programs for up-and-coming organizers and players.
Why This Decision Matters So Much For The U.S. Market
The most visible impact of the decision is in the United States, where the crossover of esports, sports betting and crypto reaches a young, highly connected audience. The American Gaming Association (AGA) estimates that sports betting is now legal and live in 38 states plus Washington, D.C., forming an industry that, together with casinos and iGaming, generates billions in annual revenue and tax dollars.
In 2024, the AGA’s State of the States report showed that 28 of the 38 jurisdictions with commercial casino, iGaming or sports betting operations posted revenue growth and set new annual records, a sign that the market is far from saturated.
Looking at traditional sports, Reuters projections indicate that legal betting just on the 2025 NFL season should reach around $30 billion, an increase over the previous year.
In the specific slice of esports betting, market reports point to a segment in clear expansion. A study by Cognitive Market Research estimates that the global esports betting market handled about $2.6 billion in 2024, with steady year-over-year growth.
Another analysis, from SkyQuest, projects that this niche could reach nearly $12 billion by 2032, driven by the consolidation of leagues and by integrations with mainstream betting platforms.
For North American League of Legends and VALORANT organizations, which have been dealing with budget cuts, sponsor exits and format overhauls, the ability to sign deals with licensed sportsbooks represents a new revenue line at a critical moment.
And because so much of that money, and that audience, is digital and mobile-first, it is natural for crypto brands to sit at the table as well, offering everything from jersey sponsorships to integrations with loyalty programs, token-based rewards and exclusive experiences for fans.
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