Riot Games officially announces that it will open gambling sponsorship cooperation for "League of Legends" (LOL) and "Valorant" in the Americas and EMEA (Europe, the Middle East, and Africa) regions. This decision instantly caused a huge stir in the global esports community, with many players exclaiming, "The watershed moment for esports has arrived."
For the vast Chinese LOL player base, the more pressing concerns are: Will this change affect the Chinese region? Will the LOL event ecosystem be "altered" as a result?
From strict refusal to proactive engagement: Why did Riot suddenly "change its face"?
Once upon a time, Riot adopted a "zero tolerance" attitude towards gambling—no sponsorship from gambling firms, no third-party gambling content allowed, and even platform operators involved with gambling could be banned. But now, the company has opened its doors wide, welcoming gambling enterprises to "enter the arena with naming rights."
The reason behind this shift is actually quite simple: two words, lack of money.
In recent years, as the global economy has slowed, the esports industry has also faced an unprecedented winter. Teams in the European and American regions struggle to operate, audience numbers dwindle, sponsors withdraw, and both viewership and commercial value of events have plummeted. Riot, relying on skin sales and ticket revenue, finds it difficult to sustain its vast event system, and the olive branch thrown by gambling capital is undoubtedly a "timely help" in a dire situation.
As one netizen sarcastically put it: "They talk about promoting sustainable development, but in reality, they simply listen to whoever offers more money."
Riot promises: No gambling cooperation in China and Korea, Chinese regulatory red lines will not be crossed
In this announcement, Riot specifically emphasizes: The pilot of gambling sponsorship is limited to the Americas and EMEA regions, and core Asian regions including China's LPL and Korea's LCK will continue to follow existing regulatory policies.
This is a typical "probing operation": The regulatory environment in Western markets is lax, and public opinion is relatively controllable. Even if problems arise, it won't trigger a global crisis. However, the Chinese and Korean markets are Riot's most important sources of revenue and reputation, and they dare not rashly touch these in the short term.
But does this mean that the Chinese region will truly be unaffected? It's probably not that simple.
Although China explicitly prohibits gambling, grey operations have always existed. Betting on overseas platforms has long been an open secret, and the "undercurrent" of esports gambling has already seeped into the player ecosystem. Riot's move might exacerbate these grey behaviors, making an already difficult situation even more complex.
Gambling enters esports: Commercial evolution or moral decline?
The combination of gambling and competition raises concerns not about money, but about "fixed matches" and "manipulation." LOL events are highly unpredictable, and once gambling money infiltrates, players, coaches, and referees could all become part of the "script."
The esports community is not without precedents: A DOTA2 team was banned for match-fixing, and a CSGO professional player was banned by Valve for participating in gambling. Once esports as a competitive sport is manipulated by unlawful capital, the so-called "strategy and passion" will turn into "odds and scripts."
What's more worrying is that the esports audience is generally young, lacking sufficient discernment towards gambling. Once gambling firms openly enter the stage, esports events might transform from a "stage of youth" to a "gambling den," where the importance shifts from who wins or loses to "which side has higher odds."
Riot is gambling big, and players are waiting for answers
It's undeniable that esports is at a crossroads between commercialization and sustainable development. Riot is trying to fill the capital gap with gambling funds, but whether this "big gamble" is worthwhile or safe remains an open question.
For now, Riot is adopting a "try and see" strategy: starting with the Western markets, if it proves profitable, they'll replicate globally; if problems arise, they'll contain the damage locally. But the issue is, once opened, it's hard to close again.
Esports has room for commercialization, but it must not come at the cost of sacrificing trust. Once events are suspected of being rigged or scripted, the speed at which audiences leave could far exceed Riot's expectations.
The future of esports: Driven by capital or guarded by players?
The development of esports over decades, from internet cafes to the grand stages of the S tournaments, from passionate dreams to professional leagues, has been supported not by who pays the most, but by the passion and trust of millions of players.
Some say gambling sponsorship is an inevitable path for the commercialization of esports, others say it's the beginning of a desperate remedy. Perhaps one day, we will no longer cheer for plays, but cheer for the fluctuations in odds.
But the real deciders of esports' fate are not Riot or the gambling firms, but every player who chooses whether to continue watching.
If one day, the matches turn into gambling games, then uninstall the client, turn off the stream. Show the capital with actions: The soul of esports is not a betting number, but our love for it.
