Riot Games Discusses VALORANT and LoL Sponsorships with Polymarket and Kalshi
Riot Games has held discussions with prediction market operators Polymarket and Kalshi regarding potential sponsorships for the VALORANT and League of Legends esports ecosystems, according to a report by Bloomberg.
Riot representative Joe Hixson confirmed that the company is exploring this direction. When evaluating potential partnerships, the developer considers the protection of competitive integrity, possible benefits for teams, impact on fans, and alignment with the ecosystem's overall goals. No agreements with any platforms have been announced yet.
According to the source, any partner approved by Riot will be required to obtain official data for the markets through GRID Esports. The company already collaborates with the developer and provides licensed match information. Polymarket has also signed an agreement with GRID, allowing it to use data directly from game servers.
Kalshi declined to comment on the negotiations, and Polymarket did not respond to journalists' inquiries. Both platforms already allow users to place contracts on match outcomes for VALORANT and League of Legends without an official sponsorship agreement with Riot Games.
Previously, Riot allowed top-tier teams in America and EMEA to partner with licensed betting companies. According to data provided by the developer Sportradar, the betting volume on VALORANT and League of Legends matches in 2024 reached $10.7 billion, with most of the activity occurring on unregulated platforms.
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