Which esports publishers allow betting sponsors? Per documents read 3 October 2026, Riot does, for Tier 1 LoL and VALORANT teams in the Americas and EMEA. Valve’s tournament licence accepts betting sponsors only if licensed, or permitted by a foreign licence, where the broadcast is aimed. Activision’s answer rests on 2021 reporting; Ubisoft and ESL FACEIT Group were not read.
This is an evergreen reference; each row is dated to the page it was read from.
Which esports publishers allow betting sponsors, row by row
| Publisher | Titles | Betting sponsor allowed? | Where the line sits | Read from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riot Games | LoL, VALORANT | Yes, since 26 June 2025 | Tier 1 teams, Americas and EMEA only; Riot approves each partner; partner must use GRID; team integrity program required | Riot announcement, read 3 Oct 2026 |
| Valve | CS2 (licence is not title-specific) | Conditionally | Betting sponsorship messages only if the operator is licensed, or legally permitted, in the territories the broadcast targets | Limited Game Tournament License, s.2.4, read 3 Oct 2026 |
| Activision | Call of Duty League | Reported yes, as of 2021 | Reported loosening; no Activision rule read this run; first deal Midnite with London Royal Ravens | Esports News UK, 13 May 2021 |
| Ubisoft | Rainbow Six | Not read this run | Rulebook PDF unreadable | none |
| ESL FACEIT Group | Its circuits | Not read this run | No rulebook fetched | none |
Does Riot allow betting sponsors?
Riot’s announcement, dated 26 June 2025, opens the category to Tier 1 LoL and VALORANT teams in the Americas and EMEA. Riot vets and approves every betting partner before a deal, every partner must use GRID as its data source, and teams need an internal integrity program. A portion of Riot’s betting-program revenue goes back into Tier 2, per the announcement. Riot also says the last thing it wants is an influx of betting ads on LoL Esports and VCT broadcasts. Our Riot rules post sets those terms against three deals.
Does Valve allow gambling sponsors?
Valve’s CS2 Tournament Operation Requirements say a large-scale CS2 tournament needs a Valve licence, usually the Limited Game Tournament License. The requirements text we read, searched for gambling and betting terms, carries no betting clause. Section 2.4 of the Limited Game Tournament License, read on 3 October 2026, says a betting-industry sponsorship message is acceptable only if the operator is officially licensed in the targeted territories, or explicitly permitted there under a foreign licence. Targeted means an official feed in that territory’s language with no geo-block.
That binds tournament operators. We did not read a Valve document written for team jerseys, Valve’s Dota 2 rules, or any dated revision history of the licence. Our CS2 sponsor post and Dota 2 sponsor post cover the teams.
What about Activision, Ubisoft and ESL FACEIT Group?
Esports News UK reported on 13 May 2021 that Midnite had become the first betting partner of a Call of Duty League franchise team, sponsoring ReKTGlobal’s London Royal Ravens, as The Esports Observer reported Activision had loosened restrictions to apparently allow betting sponsors. That is a report, not an Activision rule, and we read no current CDL document. Our CDL sponsor list tracks the teams. Ubisoft’s and ESL FACEIT Group’s rules were not read; we make no claim either way.
Frequently asked questions
Can esports teams have betting sponsors?
Some can. Riot allows it for Tier 1 LoL and VALORANT teams in the Americas and EMEA, with Riot approving each partner. A Call of Duty League team took a betting sponsor in 2021, per trade reporting. Whether a given team can depends on the publisher, the league and local law.
Does Riot allow betting sponsors?
Yes, within limits. Since 26 June 2025, Riot says Tier 1 LoL Esports and VCT teams in the Americas and EMEA may take betting sponsors. Riot must vet and approve each partner, the partner must use GRID data, and the team must run an internal integrity program covering policy, monitoring and education.
Does Valve allow gambling sponsors?
Conditionally. Valve’s Limited Game Tournament License, which its CS2 rules point operators to, accepts a betting-industry sponsorship message only where the operator is licensed in the territories the broadcast targets, or explicitly permitted there by a foreign licence. That licence binds tournament operators; this desk read no Valve document written for team jersey deals.
Why did Riot allow betting sponsors?
Riot says teams had asked for years and needed the revenue. It cites a Sportradar figure of $10.7 billion in 2024 betting turnover on LoL Esports and VCT, and claims 70% of bets across all sports go to unregulated markets. Its argument: engaging with guardrails beats sitting on the sidelines while risks to fans and integrity go unchecked.
A logo on a jersey says a publisher signed off. It says nothing about whether that book is licensed where you live. 18+ only; if you bet, use a book licensed in your own jurisdiction, set the limit before the map starts, and stop when it stops being fun.