Riot Games has publicly shared the findings of an investigation that was initiated due to claims of match-fixing, gambling, and cheating in Valorant’s Tier 2 NA scene made by Shopify Rebellion general manager Sean “sgares” Gares.
Gares took fans by surprise when he claimed that he had proof of match-fixing and gambling going on within Valorant’s NA Tier 2. The Shopify Rebellion general manager and former Counter-Strike pro player shared screenshots of transactions taking place and reviewed VODs claiming either players or teams were throwing matches. He specifically named Blue Otter players Adam “Fair” Elharoun and Bob “Bob” Tran for taking part in the misconduct.
Riot Games
Despite the boldness of his claims, Sean’s evidence lacked substance, and many fans even claimed he was grasping at straws. Riot however took the allegations seriously and announced that an investigation would be conducted. On July 30, Riot Games publicly revealed the findings of that investigation into Valorant Challenger NA match-fixing allegations.
Riot Games didn’t find any proof that players or teams were involved in match-fixing, cheating, or any other unethical activities in Valorant Challenger NA 2025.
Riot stated that its investigation was conducted in collaboration with the IBIA and other integrity partners, including GRID and Sportradar. The partners extensively reviewed esports betting activities that took place during the Challenger NA 2025 Stage 1 and 2. Nothing suspicious was flagged, and the viral betting slip screenshots were found to be pulled from an unrelated event.
The Dark Side of Competitive VALORANT
Riot also elaborated that multiple internal departments, including League Operations, Esports Compliance, and Anti-Cheat, were part of the investigation. These departments reviewed gameplay sequences from previous tournaments, notably looking into a match that was played between Blue Otter and Shopify Rebellion. No signs of cheating or any other suspicious activity were found during the review process or after it was completed.
Riot claimed that upon its exhaustive review, there was no substantial evidence to prove the allegations of cheating or any betting-related misconduct by any players, teams, or esports organizations. The developer stated that it would continue to monitor the situation and would share any further developments if and when they were found.
Riot also looked into allegations of its own staff being involved in match-fixing and claims to have found no evidence or credible information to support the allegation. Third-party sources were questioned, but either lacked evidence or retracted their statements upon follow-up.
Riot concluded the statement by emphasizing that whistleblowers are an important element in protecting fair play and in holding everyone accountable, a seeming nod to Sean Gares’ outreach despite the lack of corroborating evidence that was found in the ensuing investigations. The developer encouraged all parties involved in the competitive Valorant scene to continue to report any suspicious activity.
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