Sean Gares exposes alleged match-fixing and underground gambling in Tier 2 North American VALORANT. Riot Games responds with a full-scale investigation amid growing concerns over competitive integrity and a crumbling esports ecosystem.
The North American Tier 2 VALORANT scene is facing serious scrutiny following explosive allegations made by Sean ‘sgares’ Gares, General Manager of Shopify Rebellion and longtime esports figure. In a six-minute video posted to social media, Gares outlined widespread issues within the ecosystem, citing match-fixing, cheating, and underground gambling rings as systemic problems compromising the competitive integrity of the game.
Gares, a former professional Counter-Strike player turned coach, caster, and manager, claimed he had been independently investigating the issue for some time. “I’ve been looking into this for quite a bit,” he said, adding that he had uncovered evidence of bribes involving “tens of thousands of dollars” to throw matches. While he stopped short of naming individuals or teams, he emphasized that his goal was to expose wrongdoing while ensuring innocent parties are not unfairly implicated.
The video quickly sent shockwaves through the VALORANT community. Gares didn’t just stop at calling out match-fixing; he painted a grim picture of a fragile Tier 2 ecosystem that’s been steadily deteriorating. He lamented the exit of major organizations like Complexity and FaZe Clan, and criticized the lack of sustainable support for aspiring pros. “Back in the day, there wasn’t much money, but people played for the love of the game. Now, there was money, and it’s all disappearing,” he said.
Following the video, other voices in the esports community echoed Gares’ concerns. Timothy, the founder of tournament organizer Funhaver, corroborated some of the claims during his own livestream, criticizing Riot’s mismanagement of the Tier 2 scene and expressing fears that the current system lacks the structure and investment needed to support smaller teams and new talent.
In response, Riot Games released a statement confirming that it had launched a full investigation into the allegations. The company stated that its Competitive Operations, Anti-Cheat, and Esports Rules & Compliance teams are collaborating to gather evidence and conduct interviews. “We take accusations like these extremely seriously,” Riot said. However, it pushed back on any suggestions of internal complicity, stating that no evidence had surfaced implicating members of their anti-cheat team.
Match-fixing is far from a new issue in esports, with similar scandals occurring across various titles for over a decade. However, Gares’ revelations shine a fresh and deeply troubling light on the situation in VALORANT’s semi-professional space. The combination of financial instability, lack of institutional oversight, and the lure of easy money through betting markets has created a volatile environment.
Gares has promised more information in the coming days, and as Riot’s investigation continues, the spotlight is firmly fixed on the future of VALORANT’s Tier 2 scene, and whether it can be salvaged from what many now see as a deeply compromised state.
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