Can I own more than one League of Legends account?

Yes. Riot says owning multiple accounts is acceptable by itself. An alternate account becomes a problem when it is used for competitive advantage, rank manipulation, penalty evasion or disruption.

Can I have one League account in North America and another in EUW?

Yes, owning a personally created NA account and a personally created EUW account is not prohibited merely because both belong to the same person. Each account must still be used fairly and must not be bought, shared, boosted, deliberately deranked or used to evade penalties.

Is every alternate account a smurf account?

No. Riot defines smurfing through deliberate matchmaking or rank manipulation, commonly involving purchased accounts, deranking or account sharing. Multiple-account ownership alone does not establish smurfing.

Can a high-ranked player create and hand-level a new account?

Riot says a legitimate alternate account is not smurfing merely because placements put the player below their expected rank, provided the player genuinely tried their best and did not manipulate placement or MMR.

Can penalties affect my other accounts?

Yes. Riot introduced account and penalty linking, so enforcement can extend beyond the account used in the offending behavior when Riot links accounts to the same player.

Can family members use the same computer for League of Legends?

Yes. Family members can use the same computer, but each person should sign in to their own Riot account. Riot prohibits sharing an account or login credentials with another person.

Current Riot rules, plainly explained

Can you have alternate League accounts?

Yes. Owning more than one account is allowed by itself. Riot draws the line at how an alternate account is obtained and used, especially rank manipulation, boosting, sharing and penalty evasion.

NA and EUW answer Read Riot's sources

4 Riot-owned sources 11 Aug 2026 reviewed Direct source links Independent explainer

Multiple accountsAllowed by itself

Two accounts do not automatically make someone a smurf.

Rank manipulationNot allowed

Do not engineer easier opponents, boosted ranks or unfair placements.

Bought or sharedAgainst Riot's terms

Create and use your own accounts; never buy, sell, transfer or share access.

The important distinction

Alternate account does not automatically mean smurf

“Alt” describes ownership. Riot's current definition of smurfing describes deliberate rank or matchmaking manipulation.

Alternate account

Another account you own

It may be for another region, learning a role, playing another mode or keeping separate progression. Ownership alone is not the violation.

≠not automatically

Smurfing

Deliberately bypassing fair matchmaking

Riot describes a higher-skilled player intentionally circumventing matchmaking to beat less-skilled opponents, often through buying, deranking or sharing accounts.

Your specific example

One NA account and one EUW account

Yes, that is allowed by the multiple-account rule. Having personally created accounts in two regions is not prohibited merely because the owner is the same person.

North America

Separate server progression, matchmaking population and network distance.

One ownerTwo personally created accounts

EUW

Europe West

Its own progression and regional connection; latency may differ from NA.

Create and control both yourself

Do not buy the second account or take over a friend's old account.

Play placements honestly

Try your best. Do not lose deliberately to force either account below your real level.

Do not use either account to boost

Do not queue Ranked to carry another account into a rank it did not earn.

Do not use the second account to evade action

A suspension is not an invitation to continue the same conduct elsewhere.

Use decides the risk

Common account examples

These examples summarise Riot's published distinctions. Riot still decides individual enforcement cases using information unavailable to this website.

Normally fine

Hand-levelled regional account

You create an EUW account while already owning an NA account, play normally and accept the matchmaking result.

Normally fine

Learning a role honestly

You use your own alternate account to learn another champion or role without intentionally losing or arranging easier games.

Riot's placement example

Placed lower despite trying

Riot says a high-skilled player legitimately placed below expectation is not smurfing when they genuinely tried their best.

Not allowed

Deliberate deranking

You lose or perform below your ability on purpose so future opponents will be easier.

Not allowed

Boosting or hitchhiking

A stronger player uses an account or duo arrangement to inflate another player's Ranked result.

Terms violation

Bought, sold or shared account

The account came from a seller, friend or shared login rather than being created and controlled by its owner.

One device, separate identities

A family can share a computer, not an account

Using the same Windows computer does not require a shared Riot login. Each person should sign out and use the Riot account they personally control.

Shared device

One computer is fine

Two or more family members may play on the same computer when each signs in to their own Riot account.

Separate access

Keep one account per person

Each player should create, control and secure their own login. Sign out before the next person uses the client.

Terms violation

Do not share credentials

Riot's Terms prohibit sharing an account or login credentials and prohibit allowing another person to access your account.

Primary evidence

What Riot actually says

Each card links directly to Riot. The short excerpts are kept in context and followed by a plain explanation.

1Community Pact · Alternate accounts

Multiple-account ownership is allowed

“Owning multiple accounts, in itself, is okay.”

What it establishes: the number of accounts alone is not the offence. Riot immediately limits unfair advantage, penalty evasion and disruption.

Read the Community Pact

2Enforcement FAQ · Legitimate placement

A fresh account is not automatically manipulation

Riot says a high-MMR player who creates a legitimate account, tries fully in placements and lands lower than expected has not smurfed merely because matchmaking placed them there.

Read Riot's enforcement FAQ

3Terms of Service · Account access

Your account must remain yours

Riot's terms prohibit sharing login credentials and selling, transferring or allowing another person to access an account.

Read Riot's Terms of Service

4Account Transfer FAQ · Regions

Regions are separate server environments

Riot documents NA, EUW and other regional servers, transfer eligibility, latency effects and the need to complete placements after a transfer.

Read Riot's transfer FAQ

Do not treat accounts as isolated

Riot can link penalties across accounts

Riot's enforcement FAQ says account and penalty linking began from Patch 25.23. Using another account does not reliably isolate the owner from action.

Main account

Same player

Alternate account

Linked enforcement can apply

Before using an alternate account

Four ownership and fair-play checks

This is a practical self-check, not approval from Riot or a guarantee against enforcement.

1I created this accountIt was not bought, transferred from a friend or supplied by a boosting service. 2I control it aloneI do not share its credentials or let another player use it for Ranked progression. 3I play every match honestlyI do not derank, throw placements or conceal my ability to seek easier opponents. 4I am not evading actionI am not using it to bypass a penalty or continue conduct Riot restricted elsewhere.

0 of 4 checkedReview each point before calling the account a normal alternate account.

Copy-ready explanations

Share the rule without starting an argument

Choose the version that fits. Each example includes this page so the recipient can open Riot's linked sources and read the full context.

Choose an example

Short answer

Owning multiple League accounts is allowed by itself. How the account is obtained and used is what matters: https://vrc.lol/league/smurfing

NA and EUW

I personally created and control both my NA and EUW League accounts. Owning multiple accounts is allowed by itself; I still have to play honestly and must not buy, share, boost, deliberately derank or use either account to evade penalties. https://vrc.lol/league/smurfing

Alt or smurf

An alternate League account is not automatically a smurf account. Riot draws the line at deliberate rank or matchmaking manipulation, boosting, bought or shared accounts, and penalty evasion. https://vrc.lol/league/smurfing

Shared computer

Sharing one computer is fine. Sharing one Riot account is not. Each family member should create and use their own account and keep their login credentials private. https://vrc.lol/league/smurfing

Nothing copied yet.

Authority and limitations

Riot has the final say

VRC.LOL explains published Riot material. It cannot declare an individual account safe, identify a smurf, reverse a penalty or see the evidence available to Riot.

Clear answers

Smurfing and alternate-account questions

Can I have both an NA and an EUW League account?

Yes. Riot says owning multiple accounts is acceptable by itself. Personally creating and fairly playing one account in NA and another in EUW does not become prohibited merely because both belong to you. Do not buy, share, boost, deliberately derank or use either account to evade penalties.

Is every alternate account a smurf?

No. “Alternate account” only means another account. Riot defines smurfing through deliberate manipulation intended to bypass matchmaking and beat less-skilled opponents, commonly involving buying, deranking or sharing.

What if my new account is placed below my main account?

Riot's enforcement FAQ says that is not automatically smurfing when the account is legitimate and you genuinely tried your best. Deliberately losing placements or suppressing performance to engineer the lower result is different.

Can I use a friend's old account as my alt?

Do not. Riot's Terms of Service prohibit account sharing and transfer. Riot also warns that a shared account with substantially lower MMR can be flagged when another player rapidly raises it.

Can I create an alt to play with lower-ranked friends?

Normal modes can avoid some Ranked manipulation concerns, but using a stronger player's alternate account to carry someone through Ranked can be boosting or hitchhiking. Riot's FAQ specifically directs mixed-skill friends away from doing this in Ranked.

Can a penalty on one account affect another?

Yes. Riot says account and penalty linking can extend enforcement across accounts associated with the same player. Another region or login is not a dependable way to avoid action.

Can my family use one computer for League?

Yes, but not one shared account. Each person should sign in to an account they personally created and control, keep their credentials private and sign out before another person plays. Riot's Terms prohibit sharing account access.

Is VRC.LOL deciding whether somebody is a smurf?

No. VRC.LOL is independent and does not have Riot's account evidence. Riot investigates and makes the final enforcement decision.