What Happens If You Get Reported in League of Legends?

With so many personalities playing the popular League of Legends, it’s not uncommon for at least one player to exhibit unacceptable behavior that can lead to getting reported by LoL’s gaming community. If that player happens to be you, what happens if you get reported in League of Legends? We’ll discuss that in this article and how to deal with the potential consequences that come with it.

About Reporting Players in League of Legends

The popularity of League of Legends brings players worldwide to play this massively multiplayer online game. It’s a team-based shooter to beat the opponent in a fast-paced match. There are also individual goals each player strives to achieve as they play. It’s all too easy to get caught up in the moment, especially if LoL’s in-game experience isn’t going as you’d like.

Riot Games and its LoL community have zero tolerance for cheaters and toxic players. Displaying negative behavior and harassment disrupts the gaming experience, potentially turning normally sane players into frustrated lunatics. People like action but they don’t like drama. Many people play games like LoL as a fun experience to get away from the follies of the real world. The last thing they want is to deal with players exhibiting bad behavior.

Offensive players who disrupt the enjoyment of LoL for others can be reported directly to Riot’s disciplinary systems at the end of the match. Once a report is made, Riot Games will review the game within minutes to determine if a penalty will be placed. Sometimes, you’ll be notified when a player you reported is penalized. However, should you not receive a notification it doesn’t mean the player you reported didn’t face a penalty.

How to Report a Player

You can anonymously report a player before, during, and after a LoL game. You must do so within the last twenty games and play at least one game with them. It doesn’t matter if they were an opponent or a teammate.

There are four options when reporting a player. They are:

From Champion Select

This occurs when a teammate displays toxic behavior before a match starts. You can report them in Champion Select by hovering over their user name and clicking the red (!) button. It would be recommended at this time to mute the player so you can focus on the game without further distraction.

During the Game

Since Patch 13.9, you can report bad behavior as it happens while a game is in progress. Hold the tab button to bring up the scoreboard and click the red (!) button. Submitting your report will automatically mute the reported player if “Verbal Abuse” is selected. You can alter your report anytime during the game’s duration by following the steps listed. The final report will be submitted when the game ends.

From Post-Game Lobby

You can hover over the offending player’s name and click the red (!) button to report them. Fill out the Player Report pop-up as accurately as possible.

From Match History

You have up to five days after playing with a toxic player to report them. You can do so by going to your Profile and selecting Match History. Select the relevant match then right-click the player’s name and then Report. From there, fill out your complaint and click the Report Player button.

Tips for Effective Reporting

Reports should be tailored to the behavior you witnessed. It only takes one report to trigger LoL’s system. Filing a report with multiple categories won’t make a difference. Just choose one and the review team will take it from there.

Specify exactly what happened. Did the player purposely throw the game by rushing down Middle Lane after their first death? If so, comment “Died at 5 minutes to gank and then proceeded to run down mid-lane during the rest of the match.”

Should you encounter a player exhibiting toxic behavior, don’t communicate with them. Threatening you’re going to report them may cause the player to intensify their behavior. Leave them alone and file the report. Should you engage, you run the risk of being reported yourself by at least one other player who will see you just as disruptive.

Also, don’t encourage other players in-game to file a report against whoever you have the problem with. Focus on playing the game with as little disruptive behavior as possible. Even encouraging your teammates to file reports may cause them to report you instead of whoever you have the problem with. People don’t like being told what to do.

What is the League of Legends Disciplinary System?

As soon as a player is reported, LoL exercises its automated Disciplinary System to monitor the reported player’s activity. It will analyze and act before issuing a Penalty Notification describing the offense. Sometimes (but not always) the player who reported against another player will receive an Instant Feedback Report. This is to notify punishment has been applied against the reported player.

The potential punishment for reported players is based on the offending player’s history. The Disciplinary System analyzes the match data and reads the in-game chat log as part of its judgment criteria. If there’s enough evidence to agree with the report, LoL will deliver appropriate disciplinary action. If such a player has a toxic track record of repeated offenses, they can potentially face a ban or suspension.

I’ve Been Reported! How Can I Appeal?

You can appeal should you receive a disciplinary report against you. You will need sufficient evidence to prove your innocence so consider this before sharing your case with LoL’s moderation team.

To file your appeal, start with “Submit a Report Request” and then select “Discuss a Personal Suspension, Ban or Restriction” as your request type. State your case but be as civil and diplomatic about it as possible. Riot’s LoL team will view your history as a player and the report filed against you before making a final judgment.

If your appeal is successful, the penalties against you will be instantly removed. If not, you’ll have to bear the consequences. Fair or not, LoL rarely changes its decision once a verdict about a reported player has been reached. Should this be your situation, respect the decision (even if you disagree) and move forward.