How 1xBet Became the First Betting Partner in VALORANT Esports

Riot Games spent years saying no. No betting brands. No gambling logos. No exceptions. Their sponsorship policy was one of the strictest in esports — until June 2025, when they finally opened the category to Tier 1 League of Legends and VALORANT teams under heavy restrictions.

Five months later, MIBR became the first team to secure an approved betting partnership with 1xBet. The deal gives the bookmaker official partner status for MIBR’s VALORANT roster — and gives bettors a way to back the team through the https://1xbet.gm/en/mobile app. Getting there required clearing hurdles no esports betting sponsor had faced before.

What Riot’s Approval Required

All potential betting partners must pass a vetting process confirming regulatory compliance and meeting Riot’s internal standards. Teams must establish integrity programs to monitor betting-related issues.

The visibility restrictions go further than any other major esports circuit. Betting logos cannot appear on team jerseys during Riot broadcasts. Betting brands cannot advertise on Riot-owned channels — no sponsored segments, no social media promotions, no broadcast integration. The viewing experience stays betting-free even when the team has a betting partner.

For MIBR, earning approval meant demonstrating organizational maturity. Raphael Castanheira, MIBR’s Director of Marketing and Partnerships, emphasized that the approval “is a direct result of how MIBR operates today, as an organized company with robust governance, clear processes, and protected by policies that put competitive integrity at the forefront.”

Why Riot Changed Course

The policy shift came after years of pressure from teams — and one statistic that was hard to ignore: $10.7 billion in betting turnover on League of Legends and VALORANT during 2024. Roughly 70% of those wagers moved through unregulated channels.

John Needham, Riot’s President of Publishing & Esports, put it plainly. Betting activity exists around Riot’s titles and will continue regardless of Riot’s involvement. The choice: engage with regulated partners under controlled conditions or leave the market entirely to offshore operators.

The timing also followed public scrutiny of competitive integrity in VALORANT’s lower tiers. Sean Gares, a prominent commentator, published match-fixing allegations in Tier 2 competitions weeks before the announcement. The policy response limited betting sponsorships to Tier 1 only — organizations with infrastructure and oversight to manage the relationship responsibly.

What the Partnership Actually Includes

Traditional esports betting sponsorships put logos on jerseys, integrate odds into broadcasts, and build activations around live events. MIBR and 1xBet operate under different constraints.

The partnership focuses on off-broadcast engagement. Content collaborations with Gustavo “Sacy” Rossi — a former VALORANT Champions winner now streaming under the MIBR banner — provide one activation channel. Fan engagement initiatives, original entertainment content, and watch parties during major tournaments offer brand touchpoints outside Riot’s restricted zones.

Simon Westbury, Strategic Advisor at 1xBet, called the deal “a historic step” for the company. The partnership extends 1xBet’s existing relationship with MIBR’s Counter-Strike 2 roster into a title where betting sponsors previously had no access.

MIBR’s competitive results strengthen the partnership’s visibility. The roster qualified for VALORANT Masters in 2025 and finished Top 5 at VALORANT Champions. That consistent presence at top events means regular coverage on betting platforms — odds for MIBR’s upcoming matches appear on the https://1xbet.gm/en/line section alongside other Tier 1 fixtures.

How This Differs From CS2 Sponsorships

Counter-Strike 2 operates without Riot’s restrictions. Tournament organizers like ESL, BLAST, and PGL control their own sponsorship policies. The 1xBet partnership with MIBR’s CS2 team includes jersey visibility during Majors, broadcast presence, and on-site activations at arenas.

The VALORANT partnership operates under fundamentally different rules. Same brand, same organization, different activation playbook.

Element	CS2	VALORANT
Jersey logos	Yes	No
Broadcast integration	Yes	No
Live odds on stream	Yes	No
Content collaborations	Yes	Yes
Off-platform activations	Yes	Yes

What Comes Next

The MIBR deal is five months old. Other Tier 1 teams now have a template: demonstrate governance standards, pass Riot’s vetting, build activations within the restricted framework. The financial incentive is real — betting represents a category with demonstrated spending power that was completely inaccessible for VALORANT teams until mid-2025.

Not every organization will pursue it. OverActive Media announced immediately after Riot’s policy change that it would not seek betting partnerships. Community reaction has been mixed.

For now, 1xBet holds a position no other betting brand has achieved: approved partner status in Riot Games esports. The next twelve months will show if Riot’s restricted model attracts more sponsors or if the visibility limitations make the category unworkable.