White Papers

'The Challenge Of Safeguarding in Esports White Paper'

Executive Summary

1. Whilst this White Paper has been written for the Safeguarding, Games and Esports industries, it is also intended to be read by the parents of children and young people who are currently involved in gaming and/or esports. As such it does not assume that the reader is familiar with the issues that it seeks to address.

2. The esports industry is growing at a phenomenal rate and is estimated to currently be worth $1.4 billion. As the world begins to adapt to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, live esports events and public gatherings have been cancelled. This means that in addition to the planned growth of the industry, more and more children and young people are turning to online activities for learning, leisure, and mental wellbeing. Both the number and amount of time children and young people are gaming will increase.  Whilst safeguarding is paramount to the industry's success and reputation, as it is currently unregulated, there is currently very little evidence to demonstrate that it has put in place systems, or policies and procedures, to ensure that children and young people are safeguarded, both when they are online, or when they are engaging in live events and competitions, some of which will require international travel and overnight accommodation.  

Our Response

3. This White Paper sets out a number of actions that we believe will make esports safer for children and young people. We believe that the esports industry has the opportunity to lead by example, and for it to recognise that the safeguarding of children and young people has to be its priority.

4. Esports is global and as such inter country government or state regulation is likely to be extremely hard to implement and monitor. Esports crosses all physical boundaries and it is hard to imagine how one country can expect another to implement or enforce another's regulations.

5. The esports industry can and should be supported to enable it to regulate itself.

6. The UK can lead the way in implementing an esports safeguarding system that other countries can then follow and contribute to.

To read the full White Paper click on the link. 

The Challenge of Safeguarding in Esports