Riot Games Implements Policy That Risks Banning LoL & Valorant Streamers Over Sponsorships

Riot Games has made significant updates to its global terms of service, which will notably impact streamers of popular titles such as League of Legends (LoL) and Valorant. Under the new regulations, any content creator found promoting boosting services or related activities risks facing a permanent ban.

Players must agree to the terms of service prior to accessing multiplayer features in these online games. Typically, many players skim through these agreements to dive into the game, unaware of their specific implications. However, the enforceability of these terms can have serious consequences for violators.

Historically, actions like cheating have been banned and can lead to severe penalties, including hefty fines for cheating service providers. However, players need to pay close attention to the fine print in these agreements that might have more direct repercussions for their online presence.

Key Changes Impacting Content Creators

In a November 27 blog post, Riot Games highlighted four significant updates to their terms. Among these updates, one key aspect emphasizes that stream sniping remains “explicitly against our rules,”with consequences for players attempting to track and target others unfairly.

Moreover, Riot has clarified that the behavior of players outside the game, as long as it’s connected to their intellectual property, could lead to penalties. For example, if a player’s content features Riot’s games in the background, any violation of the terms of service could trigger actions against that content.

Understanding the New Stance on Boosting

The most pivotal change concerns the promotion and practice of boosting. Traditionally, boosting—the act of sharing account access for someone else to elevate your rank—has been considered a breach of Riot’s rules. However, the updated terms expand upon this, stating that “content promoting the violation of our terms, particularly regarding boosting services, is now liable for penalties.”

Valorant is officially going to start banning Creators that promote Smurfing, Boosting And Account buying pic.twitter.com/qn4i1eTfub

— Rem (@RemValorant) November 27, 2024

Under these new regulations, streamers or content creators who endorse or discuss boosting services—whether through formal sponsorships, videos, social media, or casual dialogues—are subject to bans. This stance reinforces that both promoted and casually mentioned boosting or account selling can lead to repercussions.

For those dedicated to streaming League of Legends or Valorant, there is now an urgent need to scrutinize the sponsors they accept and the content they produce or promote.

Further details can be found here.