Riot Games continues to enhance its ecosystem by introducing a new arbitration court in partnership with one of the leading German law firms, Martens, which works on sports projects in Europe, including the Basketball Arbitration Tribunal. This measure aims to facilitate the resolution of legal issues accumulated in the EMEA region, providing teams and players with the option to include an arbitration clause in contracts.

Riot Games has faced challenges related to withheld salaries, transfer disputes, unpaid bonuses, and cases of illegal termination. For the first time, players, coaches, and teams participating in League of Legends and/or VALORANT competitions have a legitimate way to defend their rights and improve professional conditions for all parties involved.

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Historical Background

Regardless of vague rules or the lack of an integrated enforcement mechanism, legal disputes remain common in the EMEA regional leagues. Although the situation has improved over time, Riot Games continues to face numerous contract violations, especially in tier-two leagues, where measures for player and coach protection are insufficient. Today, Riot Games is working on standardizing the resolution of such conflicts by creating an arbitration court in partnership with Martens to manage disputes.

Program Information

The new system will begin operation in the LEC and VCT, as well as in some tier-two leagues in the EMEA region; however, it will not extend to tournaments below the top division of regional leagues. Riot Games also hopes to expand the initiative globally if the program proves successful. Support in dispute resolution will be available through the program provided all parties agree to use it.

The agreement stipulates that in the event of a team disbandment, all disputes will be considered within traditional legal institutions.

To support financially vulnerable teams and players, Riot Games will create a seasonal legal aid fund to cover arbitration costs for players who wish to seek legal protection. Once the fund is exhausted within the season, it will not be replenished. Martens will act as the independent system administrator and will select arbitrators to review cases independently of Riot Games.

Official Statements

"We are committed to supporting the professional esports ecosystem, and this initiative is an important step towards strengthening support for players and teams," said Whalen Rozelle, Head of Esports at Riot Games. 

Valerie Horina, Esports Rules and Compliance Manager in EMEA: “Esports continues to evolve, and we believe maintaining stability and contract integrity is becoming increasingly important; Resolving contractual disputes has historically been very challenging, especially in the EMEA region, where many countries have different legal processes. We aim to help address these issues by providing stakeholders with an easily accessible platform.”

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Why is this important for esports?

Riot Games has made a significant step towards creating a safe and stable environment where players and teams can focus on competitions without encountering issues related to contract violations. This arbitration court could set a precedent for the esports industry and become a template for others.

Source: Sheep Esports