INSIGHTS

Esports Insights

From artificial intelligence and digital assets to gaming, digital media, and cross-border transactions, our insights help innovators anticipate legal change and seize new opportunities.

Esports Articles

Legal Playbook: Esports Branding
 1000 648 Amy Sanderson
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Building and protecting a strong brand identity has emerged as a critical factor that can make or break an esports business’s success. As the professional video gaming industry expands at an unprecedented pace, attracting millions of enthusiastic fans and substantial investments, esports organizations face the challenge of distinguishing themselves in an increasingly crowded marketplace.

Don’t Get Pwned by Bad Esports Contracts
 1000 648 Amy Sanderson
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Global esports has experienced explosive growth over the past decade, driven by increased internet connectivity, the popularity of streaming platforms, and the rising quality of competitive video games. What began as niche activity fueled by local competition has evolved into a business that will grow to over $2 billion in 2024 and hit $9.29 billion by 2032, a CAGR of 20.7%.

UK’s Online Safety Bill: Implications for Tech Firms
 1000 649 David B. Hoppe
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The government of the United Kingdom is currently considering an Online Safety Bill (OSB) in an effort to ensure safety and security within the metaverse. Following months of debate, delay, and discussion, the OSB had its second reading in the House of Commons on April 19.

Timeout! States Struggle to Provide an Effective Framework for Esports Regulation
 1000 648 Christopher Reggie
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As of early 2022, esports tournaments have paid more than $1 billion in prize money to nearly 100,000 players over 48,000 tournaments worldwide. New and ongoing tournaments award an average of around $1 million per month in prizes as players, sponsors, team owners, tournament organizers, marketers, and other stakeholders rush to claim their piece of the action.

Real-Money Gaming: Taking Off and Cashing In
 1000 648 David B. Hoppe
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Esports and skill-based gaming have become highly competitive arenas, with millions of people playing against each other daily, vying for lucrative sponsorships, and supported by rabid fan followings. Many want to get a piece of the action. Esports Network expects real-money games industry revenue to top $2.5 billion by the end of the year.

NFTs Transforming a Multi-billion-dollar Fantasy Sports Industry
 1000 648 David B. Hoppe
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Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are making headlines again, this time in fantasy sports. In September 2021, the French start-up company Sorare announced that it had raised significant capital—$680 million to be exact—for its fantasy football (soccer) platform.

Jay-Z vs Damon Dash: Lessons for Emerging Technologies Companies
 1000 648 David B. Hoppe
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Rapper Jay-Z’s legal beef with record executive Damon Dash entangles old-school creativity and newfangled technology, providing lessons for performers, promoters, developers, and anyone else involved in the arts world. The disagreement between two-thirds of the founding braintrust behind Roc-A-Fella Records centers on the ownership and regulation of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and is likely to open a flurry of issues related to NFTs.

Open App Markets Act Takes Aim at Apple, Google Stores
 1000 648 David B. Hoppe
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While Epic Games’ lawsuit against Apple has drawn attention to practices such as Apple’s 15 to 30 percent commission on app sales, in-app purchases, and Apple’s gag rule on advertising, Apple is not the only tech company developers and regulators have in their sights. Google, Valve, and other digital behemoths have also been accused of abusing their market dominance by imposing exorbitant fees upon app developers.

Leveling the Playing Field: Regulation of Esports NFTs
 1000 648 David B. Hoppe
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Many believe that non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are poised to revolutionize the esports industry. Current applications of NFTs in esports include awarding NFTs in place of physical tournament trophies, which is a much more efficient solution given the prevalence of online competitions today;