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After a wave of serious allegations hit the Tier 2 VALORANT scene in North America, including claims of cheating, match-fixing, and betting misconduct, Riot Games has completed an in-depth investigation and says it found no hard evidence to back any of it up.

The claims surfaced earlier this year and caused quite a stir in the community, especially after former Shopify Rebellion GM Sean ‘sgares’ Gares raised concerns about underground gambling activity within the NA Challengers ecosystem. Riot responded quickly, launching an internal review with help from integrity partners like Sportradar, GRID, and the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA).

Riot’s findings? Nothing that confirmed the rumours.

What Did Riot Actually Look Into?

The investigation wasn’t just a quick glance. Riot teams across Anti-Cheat, League Operations, and Broadcast Engineering reviewed gameplay footage, in-game data, player behaviour logs, account histories, and internal system records. They focused particularly on matches like Blue Otter vs. Shopify Rebellion, one that had drawn heavy suspicion online.

According to Riot, no signs of cheating or irregular activity were found in any of the matches they reviewed. Their integrity partners also analysed betting market data from across the 2025 NA Challengers League and didn’t find anything unusual there either.

Some screenshots of betting slips had been doing the rounds on social media, adding fuel to the fire. Riot’s investigation found that one of the most widely shared images wasn’t even connected to the Challengers league, it appeared to reference a completely different event.

Riot Employees Dragged Into It

Another layer of drama came when social media posts started speculating that Riot staff might be involved. These allegations, too, were looked into under Riot’s internal integrity protocols. Riot says no evidence of staff misconduct was found, and that some of the claims were later walked back by the people who made them.

In short: all smoke, no fire.

Not Everyone’s Convinced

The community is still split in spite of Riot’s announcement. Since they believe the results to be reliable, some players are pleased to learn that third-party experts were consulted. Some are more doubtful, asserting that Riot is merely shielding its own reputation and ignoring problems.

Concerns have also been raised over the process’s overall transparency. Some internet voices continue to advocate for more transparent communicatiImage Credit: Riot GamesImageon and even for the probe to be independently audited.

What Happens Now?

While Riot hasn’t issued any bans or penalties, they’ve made it clear they’ll keep watching closely. If new evidence turns up, the matter could be revisited.

The broader takeaway? Riot wants to maintain trust in VALORANT’s competitive scene. They’ve encouraged anyone with credible information to speak up and report issues through proper channels — and reminded players that false or exaggerated claims can also do real damage.

For now, the case is closed. But in a space as passionate and fast-moving as esports, especially in the sometimes chaotic Tier 2 scene, people will be keeping their eyes peeled for what happens next.