Check out our new blog titled "The Olympic Esports Series: Esports have come a long way, but there's much further to go" from Donald Jackson

On March 1, 2023, the International Olympic Committee announced that there would be an “Olympic Esport Series” games lineup. Yes, you read that right: Olympic Esports. And, what’s more, the qualifying rounds for the Olympic Esports circuit began following this announcement, and the live finals for the events were held in Singapore from June 22 to June 25, 2023. With a relatively new way to compete on the world’s most prestigious sporting stage, what would be at stake for these competitors? What additional issues can competitors encounter in a virtual competition forum? What legal questions arise in this environment?

The short answer is that Olympic Esports remains a relatively new battle ground that has potential. As a concept, however, a multitude of questions and hypotheticals illustrate why there is so much further to go, especially from a policy and legal perspective.