ESFI raises query on inclusion of eSports in the Rajasthan Virtual Online Sports (Regulation) Bill 2022
Follow Us
Esports should not be included under fantasy sport, as per ESFI
In order to bring esports to the mainstream sports ecosystem, Esports Federation of India (ESFI) has raised questions on the inclusion of esports and clubbing it with fantasy sports in the recently announced Rajasthan Virtual Online Sports (Regulation) Bill 2022.
The bill was recently released by the Revenue Department of the state. The federation has termed this Bill as detrimental to the growth of esports in India as it clubs eSports with fantasy sports, which are way different from each other.
Read More: IEM Dallas 2022: Format & Schedule, Teams, Groups, and other details
ESFI seeks Sports Minister’s intervention on Rajasthan Virtual Online Sports (Regulation) Bill 2022
While the Rajasthan Revenue Ministry asked for comments and suggestions from all the stakeholders on the proposed draft by Saturday (May 28), ESFI along with its affiliated association from Rajasthan have shared their concerns, requesting the Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Sports Minister Ashok Chandna to remove eSports from being part of Virtual Online Sports and the bill.
ESFI has also requested Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur, MoS –Sports Nishith Pramanik and Secretary Sports Sujata Chaturvedi for their immediate intervention, as esports is an extension of sports and should be removed from the draft bill. Vinod Tiwari, President of ESFI commented-
“It’s important to understand that not all games played electronically are esports. The outcome of any esports match is solely and purely dependent/based on the skills (physical & mental) and performances of the esports athletes are just like cricket, badminton etc. It’s absolutely wrong to club esports (a sport) with fantasy gaming or anything other than sports”.
ESFI is a recognised member of the Asian Electronic Sports Federation (AESF), which is recognised by the Olympic Council of Asia as the sole governing body for esports in the Asian continent and is also in the charge of technical conduct of esports at the 2022 Asian Games.
The reputed Federation has also been sending Indian teams to Asian Indoor & Martial Arts Games since 2007 and in the last Asian Games in 2018, wherein esports was played as a demonstration event, India’s Tirth Mehta had won bronze medal for the country in Hearthstone title in the last Asiad in Jakarta. Lokesh Suji, Director of Esports Federation of India said-
"Esports is an all-inclusive sport, restricting and/or limiting and/or regulating it the way it’s been proposed in the draft bill will only be detrimental to the growth of our sport and development of the grassroots in the state of Rajasthan or any other Indian state which is planning any such bill on the similar lines.”
At the 2022 Asian Games, esports has been included as a medal sport and ESFI had shortlisted the 18-member Indian esports contingent after conducting a mega Nationals, talents were chosen to be part of the Contingent based on the performances at the National Esports Championships 2022, to participate across five titles at the Asian Games.
Also Read: ESFI opens the National Qualifier registrations for 14th World Esports Championships
Stay Updated!
Anushka Mohanta
(2064 Articles Published)