Riot Finds No Evidence of Cheating in NA VALORANT Challengers

After serious public claims of cheating and match-fixing in the VALORANT NA Challengers League, Riot Games launched a full investigation.

Several Riot teams (League Operations, Esports Compliance, and Anti-Cheat) worked together, along with trusted outside partners like Sportradar, GRID, and the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA).

So far, no proof has been found to support the claims of cheating, match-fixing, or betting misconduct.

What Was Done and What Was Found

Cheating Checks – Game and Account Review:

Riot’s Anti-Cheat and Competitive Operations teams looked closely at the match between Blue Otter and Shopify Rebellion, as well as six other matches that were mentioned.

They checked both tournament and live accounts, user behavior, and gameplay data. They found no signs of cheating or anything suspicious.

Betting Market Review:

Riot’s integrity partners reviewed betting activity for all Stage 1 and Stage 2 games in the 2025 NA Challengers League. No games were flagged as suspicious.

Review of Shared Betting Slips:

Betting slip images shared online were also reviewed. One image many people believed was tied to NA Challengers actually referred to a different event.

Even though the exact source of the image couldn't be confirmed, no unusual betting activity was found. Because of this, the claims were not considered reliable.

Broadcast Feed Security:

Riot checked who had access to clean broadcast feeds and found no evidence of abuse. Access controls were confirmed to meet industry standards.

Claims About Riot Employees:

Some social media posts accused Riot staff of wrongdoing. These claims were carefully looked into.

The original sources either had no proof or later admitted their claims were false. Riot found no evidence of staff misconduct.

Extra Steps Taken:

Riot also took additional steps like looking into public info, analyzing team and player performance, and reviewing relationships between those named.

They also asked teams and tournament organizers for any helpful information. Nothing useful or credible came from these steps.

Conclusion:

After all of this, there is not enough evidence to support the cheating or match-fixing claims. Riot found no wrongdoing by players, teams, or staff.

Even though this investigation is finished, Riot will keep an eye on the situation and may take more action if new, solid information comes up.

Riot’s Ongoing Commitment

Riot Games is dedicated to keeping esports fair and honest. We’ll keep working closely with players, teams, tournament organizers, and trusted partners to catch and stop misconduct. If needed, we’ll also work with law enforcement and legal authorities.

Reporting Problems in Esports

Keeping esports fair is a team effort. Everyone in the esports community plays a role. Riot takes all reports seriously, especially when they’re specific and shared quickly.

If someone asks you to throw a match, leak info, or do anything shady:

• Don’t do it.

• Keep proof. Take clear screenshots with the time, date, usernames, platform (like Discord or WhatsApp), and context of what was said.

• Report it right away to your League Operations contact or through Riot’s official reporting system.

A Note to Whistleblowers:

People who report problems help keep the game fair for everyone. Riot supports honest whistleblowers. But false or exaggerated claims can cause real harm and distract from real issues.

Some misconduct, like match-fixing, is a serious crime in many places and can lead to legal consequences. That’s why reports should always be based on solid facts or things you’ve seen yourself.