Earlier today, reports came out that 2024 VCT Champions finalist Benjy “benjyfishy” Fish had received a warning from Riot Games after breaching its esports’ global code of conduct for gambling on a title the British VALORANT star is not even competing in.
On Nov. 4, Team Heretics informed Riot that benjyfishy placed a bet on another esports match. That match was the 2024 League of Legends Worlds final between Bilibili Gaming and T1 with his winnings being merely €100.
Although it is an insignificant number compared to what top esports players earn, the bet was a clear breach of Article 3.15. The article stipulates players are prohibited from placing bets or participating in any other legal or illegal gambling activities involving Riot titles. Therefore, a League player cannot place a bet on a VALORANT game and vice versa.
After fully cooperating with the Riot investigation, benjyfishy received only a warning along with Team Heretics receiving an undisclosed fine. In its statement about the matter, Riot insisted benjyfishy assisted the investigation fully, allowing for a swift and conclusive decision. This included detailed information about his betting account, which showed his bets were only placed on League, lowering the risk of VALORANT’s competitive integrity being damaged.
According to Riot, benjyfishy showcased “sincere remorse” for his actions which was further showcased by the “volunteering to donate a sum to charity.” Following the investigation, benjyfishy was warned that if he was to be in breach of Article 3.15 again, stricter penalties could apply.
This showcases to all pro players under the Riot banner that betting on another Riot title is strictly off-limits and even small payouts could land them in trouble. In benjyfishy’s case, at least there was a good effort to make up for it.
Published: Dec 17, 2024 12:59 pm