Future-proofing esports: a look ahead to the key legal issues facing the esports industry
The evolving ecosystem of esports is not only a hub for groundbreaking technology and entertainment, but also a burgeoning field fraught with intricate legal and regulatory challenges. As the industry accelerates towards a projected value of USD11.94 billion by 2030[1], stakeholders must navigate a complex web of regulations, financial hurdles, and dispute resolution mechanisms which often lag behind the fast paced development of the sector.
This article highlights the key legal issues facing the rapidly evolving esports industry in 2025:
- The challenge of harmonising regulations
- Regulatory bodies and fragmentation
- Financial regulations and salary caps
- Integrity threats: doping, match-fixing, and ethical concerns
- Streamlining dispute resolution: recent innovations and future directions (Riot Games’ EMEA arbitration court)
- Antitrust and esports: evolving battlegrounds
- Looking ahead: charting a path forward in the esports legal sphere
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- Tags: Athlete Welfare | Commercial | Dispute Resolution | Esports | Governance | Regulation
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Written by
Benja Arnott
Benja is a Managing Associate in Linklaters’ Litigation, Arbitration and Investigations practice and a member of Linklaters’ sports sector team. He has extensive experience advising sports governing bodies on competition, public and contract law, governance and regulatory matters, and acting on sports disciplinary proceedings and arbitrations. Benja is also a member of Sport Resolutions’ Pro Bono Panel. Outside of his sports practice, Benja’s practice also covers ESG, human rights, public international law, public law and competition law matters.
Sînziana Ianc
Sînziana is a Managing Associate in Linklaters’ Competition practice. She has advised on the Single Resolution Mechanism and has extensive litigation experience before the Courts of the European Union. Sînziana is one of the global co-heads of the Linklaters’ sports sector.
Dylan Wyatt
Dylan is a Capital Markets Associate at Linklaters, based in London.
Ariel Kaminsky
Ariel is a Trainee Solicitor at Linklaters, currently based in the Litigation, Arbitration and Investigations team.
