The growth of esports in India – a short review of the main legal and regulatory challenges

Wednesday, 03 April 2019 Author: Shaun Star, Nirav Bakshi

Esports is booming throughout the India, helped by the proliferation of fast broadband connections and a population of 600 million under the age of 25 (more young people than any other country in the world). As readers are no doubt aware, the rapid expansion of esports globally, combined with its unique characteristics, has bought with it a complex array of legal and policy considerations that the industry as whole is currently trying to grapple with. This article tracks the trends and legal issues particular to India, most notably:

Recognition of professional esports players as “athletes” and the need for regulatory maturity; and
Problems around betting, match fixing and cheating.

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Tags: Anti-Corruption | Anti-Doping | Asian Electronic Sports Federation (AESF) | Athlete Welfare | Employment | Esports | Esports Federation of India (ESFI) | Governance | India | International Esports Federation (IESF) | Regulation

Written by

Shaun Star

Associate Professor & Associate Dean, Jindal Global Law School

Shaun Star is an Associate Professor & Associate Dean (International) at Jindal Global Law School and Director, Centre for Sports Law, Business and Governance at O.P. Jindal Global University.

Shaun has been working in India since 2010. Running his own advisory practice, Shaun has advised numerous organisations (from start-ups to listed companies), assisting them with their entry and expansion into India. He has also advised a number of clients in the field of sports law, including national sporting federations.

Shaun is an Australian qualified lawyer and has worked at various top-tier law firms in Australia and India, including most recently at Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A Shroff & Co. Shaun was recently named as one of 30 people to watch in the business of law in Asia.

At Jindal Global Law School, Shaun teaches Sports Law and Governance and Tort Law. Previously, Shaun has worked as Senior Operations Manager at the Indian Premier League (IMG) and in a boutique sports law firm in Bangalore. He is the Founding Director of the Centre for Sports Law, Business and Governance at O.P. Jindal Global University.

Shaun is passionate about promoting the Australia-India relationship and has published a book entitled “Australia and India: A Comparative Overview of the Law and Legal Practice”, a volume which has received contributions from judges, leading barristers, academics and legal practitioners. The book has been launched by Former Australian High Court Judge, The Honourable Justice Michael Kirby AC CMG, and the Attorneys General of Australia and India.

Shaun is the Executive Director of the Centre for India Australia Studies at O.P. Jindal Global University. He was also co-founder and Chair of the Australia India Youth Dialogue, a forum which hosts young politicians, entrepreneurs, policy-makers and diplomats and encourages collaboration between young leaders of both of our nations.

Commentating on issues such as the Australia-India relationship and sports law and governance in India, Shaun’s opinion pieces have been featured in Indian and Australian national newspapers and he has participated in panel sessions on Indian prime time television.