The paper determined esports

( GlüStV ) 2021 , came into force on

betting as constituting gambling ,

1 July this year .

thus placing esports betting under

While this new legislation is set

the purview of the Gambling Act

to regulate online slots and poker ,

2005 , and also discussed licensing

it does not specifically cover the

for online skin betting and for regular

subject of esports betting . According

esports betting . There are currently

to Christoph Suess from the Regional

295 licensed remote betting

Council of Darmstadt , the body

operators , and 772 licensed non-

responsible for sports betting

remote betting operators active under

licensing , the State Treaty defines a

the GC ’ s jurisdiction .

sports event as “ a sports competition

STATE OF ESPORTS BETTING IN GERMANY

between human beings according to

defined rules ”.

However , the term “ sports ” has

Germany has its own fair

not yet been defined in the treaty ,

share of top-performing

meaning that the treaty neither bans

esports players and a sizeable esports

or gives explicit permission for bets on

fanbase , supported by a rapidly

esports games .

growing PC , console and mobile

Until now , foreign esports betting

gaming market .

operators and German esports punters

By 2023 , Germany ’ s esports

have benefited from the legal ambiguity

market is projected to be worth

afforded by the previous treaty , though

nearly $ 240m , equivalent to an

the finalisation of the new regulatory

annual growth rate of 21 %. ⁷ The

framework in July could spell the end of

country boasts 343 gaming startups

this grey market .

legal or regulatory regime applicable to

and is home to the organisers of

the ESL One Tournament , which

is headquartered in Cologne .

However , on the esports betting

front , the country still has some

ways to go .

In March 2020 , a federal treaty

was proposed which would expand

Germany ’ s nationwide igaming

offerings beyond online betting to

online casino games . Previously , the

country left betting legislation up to the

local state parliaments .

This treaty , the State Treaty on

Gambling or Glücksspielstaatsvertrag

STATE OF ESPORTS BETTING IN ITALY

2016 saw the full

liberalisation of Italy ’ s

sports betting market , which did

away with an old legal framework

that required certification of every

event that an operator wanted to offer

by the Agenzia delle dogane e dei

Monopoli ( ADM ).

However , according to DLA Piper ’ s

Esports Laws of the World 2021 ,

esports is not formally recognised as a

sport in Italy , and there is no dedicated

esports or esports betting .

Interestingly , esports tournaments in Italy fall under the purview of the gambling regulator , as esports tournaments are regarded as “ the organisation and exercise of games of skill and betting competitions , for which a reward of any kind is paid and whose participation requires the payment of a monetary stake ”.

Thus companies offering online esports tournaments , bets and fantasy games are required to hold an online gambling licence in order to stay compliant .

7

‘ Let ’ s Play ! The European esports market ’ report by Deloitte Touche