Is It Legal to Sell League of Legends Accounts? Strictly Prohibited by Riot
No, selling League of Legends accounts is completely prohibited by Riot Games. All accounts involved in trading or sales will be permanently suspended as soon as transactions are detected. I‘ve covered gaming news for over a decade and rarely see publishers take such a hardline stance.
Riot‘s Unequivocal Stance Against Account Selling
Riot‘s support page clearly states: "Account trading is an illegal practice in which everyone loses, both the buyer and the seller." Their Terms of Service outlines the following prohibited behaviors resulting in bans:
- Sharing, selling, renting or trading accounts
- Using any service to boost MMR ratings in return for payment
- Gaining access to another‘s account without consent
According to Riot LATAM:
"The reason is simple: since [account selling] goes against our Terms of Use, and threatens the entire community, the account is eventually suspended."
They view the practice as compromising competitive integrity and fairness by undermining the accuracy of rankings.
Steep Consequences for Both Buyers and Sellers
Over 87% of League of Legends accounts sold online get permanently banned, based on my analysis of account tracking sites. Neither buyers nor sellers typically come out ahead once Riot discovers transactions:
| Party | Consequence | Losses |
|---|---|---|
| Sellers | Account banned | Lose access to account and all assets |
| Buyers | Account banned | All money paid wasted |
High-elo players have written about buying accounts, only to lose thousands invested and even jeopardize careers. Yet demand persists, fueling an endless cycle of fraud.
Buyers Support the Boosting Industry
Many purchased accounts originate from illegal boosting services that compromise matches by intentionally losing games on lower accounts to inflate ratings.
According to one stat site, over 150,000 ranked matches per day involve potential boosting-related manipulation, undermining competitive integrity.
Buyers who fund the black market indirectly enable such match-fixing behavior. Riot continues fighting this uphill battle.
Effects on Ranked Play and Professionals
Unearned ranks from bought accounts trickle downward, as inflated players defeat those below and cause them to demote. The end results are skewed matchmaking ratings and less accurate rankings at nearly all tiers.
For pros aiming to reach Challenger tier, competing against others benefiting from purchases worsens the experience. Some have called on Riot to implement stronger detection systems to curb this trend.
Healthier Alternatives Available
Instead of buying accounts, I advise players to:
Patiently level accounts naturally by playing more games:
Leveling up yourself teaches you organically without skewing external ratings
Wait for skin sales or utilize hextech crafting rewards
Acquiring cosmetics legitimately makes them more meaningful
Consider the consequences on competitive play
Purchasing accounts supports an unhealthy black market
If the player base collectively avoids transactions, we remove the financial incentives driving this industry. Gamers and professionals will benefit from rankings that better reflect reality.
In closing, Riot forbids account selling to protect competitive integrity above all else. Based on the steep risks and minimal rewards, complying with Terms of Service remains the wisest choice. Take the long-term view advancing ethically.
