Natus Vincere manager comments on restrictions for bookmakers at The International 2026 for Dota 2
David Mchedlishvili
Natus Vincere manager Zhanna “Ryzhaya” Batkovna commented on the restrictions on bookmaker advertising at The International 2026 on her personal Telegram channel.
The quote is reproduced with the source’s spelling and punctuation intact
If we’re to believe Aldar [Aldar “Jamba” Jambinov. — Ed.], there are only a few days left until the team bundles drop. On the downside, Navi isn’t there, and that’s definitely an ultra-tilt.
There are also posts and news stories here and there about team renames for TI that include a bookmaker’s name—Hooligans, Boombox, Vision, Iron Wing—and posts along the lines of: “Valve employees aren’t fair; they let some teams keep similar names while others didn’t, blah blah…”
Back in 2024 (and this policy existed even earlier), Valve banned blatant in-game advertising, which is exactly what a team’s “Buka” name constitutes.
Valve has traditionally added features in Dota dedicated to teams and players, but these tools were used for advertising rather than to highlight individual team members or players—that’s just how business works; any
available space is fair game for integration. And although this wasn’t explicitly stated, the ban was introduced to curb the growing prevalence of betting-related sponsorships in Dota.
The ban eliminates distractions and allows viewers to focus entirely on the game and the players at The International. As a result, in-game advertising and sponsorship—including team banners featuring sponsors and base logos with the “book” symbol—were banned.
The decision to ban advertising at TI was also aimed at creating a more immersive viewing experience for Dota 2 fans—just think back to those broadcasts cluttered with betting ads and banners.
(I hope they’ll ban analysts and commentators from placing bets on live broadcasts so there’s more information about the game itself.)
Based on this policy, even after The International 24, there was a feeling that with such aggressive promotion, Valve might shut the whole operation down, just like they did with League of Legends. So you’d better cherish the bird in your hand, bookies. And to wrap things up—sports betting and all bookmakers are strictly prohibited in mainland China
Earlier, Natus Vincere manager Zhanna “Ryzhaya” Batkovna summed up the season, noting that the team would miss the 2026 Esports World Cup and The International 2026, thanked the fans for their support, and expressed hope that the roster would remain intact and the players would continue to improve.
Photo: Natus Vincere.
David Mchedlishvili
