Riot Games punishes Benjyfishy for gambling: fine and warning

In recent years, Riot Games has been actively shaping the image of the ideal professional esports athlete, focusing on high standards of behavior and strict rules. In this context, cases like the one involving Team Heretics professional player Ben “Benjyfishy” Fish become especially resonant. The recent violation of Article 3.15 of Riot Games’ Global Code of Conduct once again raises questions about the boundaries of what is permissible and the responsibility of esports athletes to the discipline and the audience.
What happened?
On November 4, 2024, Team Heretics reported a violation of the rules by their player to Riot Games. Benjyfishy placed a bet on the League of Legends World Championship final match between T1 and Bilibili Gaming, which took place on November 2. The bet brought the player a win of €100, but violated Riot Games’ fundamental prohibition set out in Article 3.15. This article explicitly prohibits professional players from participating in any gambling related to the company’s products. Such restrictions are aimed at maintaining the fairness and transparency of esports. Even if a player does not participate in a tournament, any attempt to bet on Riot Games games is considered a violation.
After Team Heretics voluntarily disclosed the bet, Riot Games conducted a thorough investigation, which confirmed the fact of the violation. However, the decision on punishment was less severe than could have been expected.
Riot Games decided to limit itself to an official warning for Benjyfishy. However, Team Heretics was punished with a monetary fine. This fine served as a reminder that the responsibility for upholding the Code of Conduct lies not only with players, but also with their teams. In an official statement, Riot Games emphasized that repeated violations by Benjyfishy will result in harsher sanctions, up to and including disqualification. The company also expressed hope that this case will serve as a lesson for all members of the esports community.
This is far from the first time that Benjyfishy has found himself at the center of a scandal. In early 2024, he publicly apologized for an incident during the VCT 2024 Masters Madrid match against Paper Rex. At that time, his toxic behavior drew sharp criticism from both fans and representatives of the esports industry. Benjyfishy is known for his flashy play and a large following of dedicated fans, but his repeated violations are beginning to tarnish both his reputation and that of Team Heretics. The organization’s leadership has stated that they will work with the player to avoid similar situations in the future.