Amid a history of rampant legal issues in the EMEA region and its regional leagues, Riot Games is aiming to make significant improvements to its ecosystem by launching a new court of arbitration in partnership with the German law firm Martens, known for its involvement in European traditional sports and its role behind the Basketball Arbitral Tribunal.

Though not compulsory, Riot Games has already been working behind the scenes to set things in motion this off-season, encouraging teams to include arbitration clauses in their newly negotiated contracts. While the program’s impact may not be immediate, Riot Games hopes to address a range of issues through it, including unpaid salaries, wrongful terminations, transfer disputes, missing bonuses & prize money, and other similar concerns.

This new Dispute Resolution program is set to impact both the LEC and VCT, as well as the EMEA region’s Tier 2 circuit, but it will not extend beyond the 1st Divisions of Regional Leagues. If successful, Riot Games will explore options to expand the program globally. For now, the court will focus solely on player, coach, and team issues, while matters involving Tournament Operators in regional leagues and disputes between participants and organizers will continue to be handled internally by Riot Games.

The Pros and Cons

Riot Games aims to set a new standard in esports by using this dispute resolution program to manage the majority of new contracts and disputes from 2025 onward, though some limitations remain. In practice, the court is designed to be a powerful tool for creating a more robust and secure environment where players can thrive, but it requires involved parties to opt in for its rulings to take effect.

Focusing on speed and efficiency, the court will prioritize a straightforward path to dispute resolution without applying formal rules of law. As the overseer of the League of Legends and VALORANT ecosystems, Riot Games reserves the right to impose sporting or financial sanctions. However, while such sanctions are possible, the court cannot prevent teams from disbanding. This means that, in cases of team dissolution, disputes will no longer fall under the court’s jurisdiction and will instead need to be resolved through traditional legal channels.

Although handling and arbitrator fees will remain, Riot Games is set to introduce a yearly legal aid fund for teams and players opting into the new system. The fund aims to assist parties with insufficient financial means to defend themselves. The allocated budget will cover the entire competitive year, but it will not be replenished if depleted before the season ends.

To ensure the initiative is fair, efficient, and accessible, Riot Games has partnered with Martens, a European law firm specializing in sports and dispute resolution, to manage the program. Martens will handle the administration of the Dispute Resolution system and oversee the selection of arbitrators, who will make decisions independently of Riot Games.

Inaugural Remarks from Riot Games

“We're committed to maintaining healthy, professional esports ecosystems and this initiative is another step towards enhancing what we offer our partners who are helping us build a bright future for esports,” said Whalen Rozelle, Chief Operating Officer, Esports at Riot Games. “This initiative will better serve our players, coaches, and teams across EMEA, providing them access to legal support should they need it.”

“Esports continues to evolve and we believe maintaining contractual stability and integrity is becoming more important,” said Valérie Horyna, EMEA Esports Rules & Compliance Manager at Riot Games. “Solving contractual disputes has historically been very complex, especially in EMEA, which has different legal processes across many countries. We’re seeking to help solve these issues, providing an easy-to-access platform for our stakeholders.”