VALORANT Star Receives Warning for Gambling on Worlds Final

Team Heretics’ VALORANT superstar Benjamin “Benjyfishy” Fish has been issued a warning by Riot Games for violating the gambling section of the Global Code of Conduct. The former Fortnite pro placed, and won, a bet made during the League of Legends World Championship final between T1 and Bilibili Gaming.

The ruling by Riot was officially made just a couple weeks before the doors were opened to betting sponsorships.

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You win some, you lose some

According to an official ruling on Riot’s Competitive Ops website, Team Heretics informed Riot in early November that benjyfishy placed and won a wager on the Worlds final. The ruling, made on November 28, states that benjyfishy won €100 from his wager.

Placing said wager violates section 3.15 of the Global Code of Conduct. That section states that “Esports Professionals” may not engage in legal or illegal gambling activities involving any title owned by Riot. 

In their ruling, Riot noted several factors that contributed to a reduced punishment. Benjyfishy self-reported the incident after realizing what they had done and fully cooperated with the investigation. The ruling also notes that he volunteered “to donate a sum to charity.” Additionally, because benjyfishy placed a wager on a game and in a region they don’t compete in, there was little “risk of direct harm to the competitive integrity of VALORANT.”

Benjyfishy was issued a warning, and a fine of an undisclosed amount was imposed on Team Heretics. Coincidentally, Riot confirmed to Insider Gaming earlier this week that partnered VALORANT and League teams will be allowed to explore partnerships with betting companies. An official Riot statement notes that the Riot broadcast and team jerseys will remain free of gambling branding. All potential betting partners will also be vetted by Riot before getting approval. 

Do you think the allowing of betting sponsors could result in a rule change that lets players place wagers? Let us know on the Insider Gaming forum.

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