Smurfing Becomes Punishable in League of Legends After 17 Years: Explained

Smurfing, the practice of playing on an account ranked lower than your actual skill level, is now officially a punishable offense in League of Legends. The historic decision, made by developer Riot Games, arrives in January 2026, surprising the community after nearly two decades in which the behavior was tolerated. The announcement appears inside the game itself, through a new report category called “rank manipulation”. As a result, players caught creating or using secondary accounts to dominate lower-ranked matches may face penalties, not yet disclosed by the company.

Riot’s move aims to tackle one of the biggest sources of frustration in the community. That is because a professional or high-level player in a low-Elo match, such as Bronze or Silver, completely distorts the experience. Due to this disparity, legitimate opponents at that skill level have almost zero chance of winning, turning the match into something unfair and unpleasant. The change is made possible by the recent unlocking of “duo queue” in the highest ranks. That was one of the old justifications for smurfing, as it allowed streamers and friends to play together.

How will punishment work, and why the confusion?

Despite the new option in the report menu, Riot has not yet officially detailed the punishments or how the rule will be enforced. This lack of clarity is the main reason opinions are divided. However, the powerful Riot Vanguard anti-cheat, with kernel-level access to players’ PCs, could be a crucial tool for identifying multiple accounts belonging to the same user, making it harder to hide smurfs.

On the other hand, there is a theory within the community that the new report category may be merely symbolic, similar to the old “Disabled Player” option, which served more as an outlet for venting than as an effective punishment. Meanwhile, many players celebrate the measure, hoping for a fairer online experience. Still, some content creators and casual players are concerned, as they used secondary accounts to practice new champions without hurting their performance on their main account.

As a result, the real impact of the new policy will only become clear in the coming months. Everything depends on how Riot balances fighting abuse with the legitimate needs of part of its player base. The community eagerly awaits an official statement explaining the criteria and penalties, hoping the game becomes a more balanced environment for everyone in 2026.