Riot Games In Talks With Polymarket and Kalshi Over Sponsorship Deals

Adam Roarty, Senior Editor

Last Updated: 11/09/2026

Riot Games is reportedly in talks with major prediction market operators Kalshi and Polymarket over sponsorship deals.

Riot eased its rules on gambling sponsors last year, and partnerships with prediction markets could be another lucrative avenue to fund competitions and increase prize money.

Riot evaluating prediction markets

Riot has not confirmed any official deals with operators as yet, but did say it was evaluating the potential value prediction markets could bring, while considering any risks.

“Prediction markets are an emerging space that we’re evaluating with a focus on safeguarding competitive integrity, potential value for teams, impact on the fan experience, and alignment with our broader ecosystem goals,” Riot Games spokesperson Joe Hixson told Bloomberg.

Neither Polymarket nor Kalshi confirmed that discussions have taken place. Both companies have been highly active in acquiring partners in the US.

In esports, Polymarket already has a deal with BLAST and GRID, which supplies it with official Riot Games data. Bloomberg reported that any prediction market sponsor approved by Riot would be required to obtain official betting data through GRID.

Approved gambling companies must source their match data exclusively through GRID to prevent match-fixing and data corruption.

GRID using Riot Games data to push its own betting service

This week, GRID launched its own betting service, GRID Odds, which offers clients accurate data-driven pricing, a wide range of markets, from match and map winner to player props, and in-round betting.

The prices on prediction markets are set by users (or market makers) rather than the platform, so it is unclear if GRID would supply part of this service to prediction markets.

UK rules could block prediction market sponsors

While Kalshi and Polymarket are blocked in the UK, the country is in discussions to relax its rules. This could allow users to access sites that offer everything from esports to crypto and election markets.

Unlicensed companies may still do deals with esports teams, but the government is considering tightening its rules. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) launched a review of unlicensed gambling sponsors in July.

Primarily, the DCMS is concerned with Premier League sponsorships, where several clubs have deals with gambling companies that do not hold UK licenses.

However, any regulations introduced would likely apply to esports competitions as well. PGL, for example, currently has a deal with 1xbet, which does not have a UK license.

Current rules do not restrict the platform’s advertising on broadcasts to UK viewers. That could change if new rules are introduced. It could also see any advertising of companies like Polymarket restricted in Riot’s UK competitions, unless the rules on prediction markets are changed.

Adam Roarty, Senior Editor

Adam has worked as a writer and editor for five years on sites such as CasinoBeats, OddsChecker, Esports.net, Esports Insider and Gambling Industry News. Adam uses his experience in the gambling and gaming adjacent industries to focus on emerging stories at the intersection of esports, culture and gambling.

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