Official Recognition to E-Sports

Table of Contents

Context: The Indian government has officially recognized E-Sports in the country as part of multi-sports events.

More on Official Recognition to E-Sports

Background: There had been a growing demand for E-sports to be included in the curriculum of multi-discipline events after it was included in the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games as a demonstration sport.
Official recognition: The President of India amended the rules governing E-sports and asked the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Sports Ministry to include e-Sports as part of multi-sports events.
- It has been done by the president by exercising powers conferred under “clause (3) of article 77 of the Constitution”.
Nodal agency: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology will be the nodal agency for online gaming-related matters and the sports ministry will have to include it in its curriculum.

The President shall make rules for the more convenient transaction of the business of the Government of India, and for the allocation among Ministers of the said business

E-Sports (Electronic Sports) is a competitive sport where gamers use their physical and mental abilities to compete in various games in a virtual, electronic environment.
E.g. BGMI, Valorant, Call of Duty, Tekken 7, and DOTA 2.

Gaming

Gaming refers to playing video games in general.
This includes playing Candy Crush on mobile phone, God of War on Play Station, or Counter-Strike on PC.
Online card games like Rummy and Poker are also classified under gaming, not E-Sports.

E-Sports

E-Sports are online games that are competitively played in the form of tournaments and leagues.
Some of them are digital or virtual versions of mainstream sports like cricket, football, etc.
While E-Sports promotes live matches, gaming does not promote live matches.
Recognition:
- As the birthplace of E-Sports, South Korea was the first country to officially recognize E-Sports back in 2000.
- By now, countries such as the China, USA, Finland, Germany, Russia, Ukraine, Thailand and Pakistan have officially recognized E-Sports.
- Besides, countries like Italy, Brazil, Nepal, Indonesia, Turkmenistan, Macedonia, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Serbia Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Georgia have also recognised esports as regular sport.

Featuring of E-Sports:
- Esports were featured at the 2018 Asian Games as a demonstration sport, meaning medals won in this sport would not be counted in the official overall medal tally.
- The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has confirmed that its inaugural Olympic Esports Week will take place in Singapore in 2023.

Contribution to economy: The vast ecosystem of E-Sports holds much growth potential and employment prospects.
Inclusivity: In contrast to traditional sports, E-Sports have fewer gender restrictions, more accessibility for people with disabilities, etc., thus promoting inclusivity.
Boost social skills: Most major competitive E-Sports are team-based, which promotes skills such as communication, collaboration, and learning how to work effectively with others.

Gaming disorder: It is a condition where gamers prioritize e-sports over other activities to the degree where it impacts overall health and well-being.
Environmental Concerns: US gaming consoles are linked to 34 terawatt hours a year in energy usage, which is equivalent to the carbon dioxide emissions of roughly five million cars.
Security concerns: Issues such as cyber-attacks, cheating, and E-sport piracy are plaguing in the industry.

Growth: According to FICCI-EY Media and Entertainment Report 2022, the number of E-Sports players doubled from 300,000 in 2020 to 600,000 in 2021.
- E- Sports revenue grew by 29% from INR 7.5 billion in 2020 to INR 9.7 billion in 2021.
- The number of esports players are expected to reach one million in 2022, out of which 20% would be women.
Employment generation: The gaming and E-Sports industry employs just over 40,000 individuals in India, and this is poised to grow.
The Catalysts:
- The COVID-19 Pandemic: Amid the lockdown, millions diverted their attention to gaming recreationally, with some even turning to professionals.
- Increasing digitization: The advent of 5G, deeper penetration of Internet connectivity etc.