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Valloni / News  / ESPORTS IN GERMANY
30 April 2025

ESPORTS IN GERMANY

 

With almost 640 million fans throughout the world, Esports is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world and the global market for Esports is expected to grow in value to US$3.25 billion (around Sw. Frs. 2.87 billion) in 2025 and continue at a compound annual growth rate of 19.4%.

This phenomenal growth may be attributed to an increased awareness of Esports; an increase in livestreaming of games; and an increase in the international prize pool, which can amount to over US$ 40 million (around Sw. Frs. 35.4 million) in major international tournaments!

In Germany, more than 76 per cent of the population, around 60 million, also know about Esports, which play an important role in the world of Esports in Germany, the home of big companies, such as tournament organiser ESL, and significant Leagues, such as Riot Games’ LEC, which are played there. Additionally, globally successful teams, such as G2 Esports and SK Gaming, are also located in Germany.

In Germany, in the 25- to 34-year-old age group, 15 per cent of them play computer and video games competitively on a daily or weekly basis.

It may be claimed, therefore, that Esports is quickly becoming a social mass phenomenon in Germany as Esports have become at the global level!

Also, world-famous Esports organisations, such as SK Gaming, G2 Esports, ALTERNATE aTTaX and mousesports were founded in Germany and have their headquarters in Germany as well.

There are moves afoot, spearheaded by the German Games Industry Association (Verband der deutschen Games-Branche e.V.), which is headquartered in Berlin, to make Germany the best location for the practice of Esports, and several important factors are already in place that are intended to may make this possible.

For example, the 2018 Coalition Agreement of the German Federal Government acknowledges “the growing importance of the Esports’ landscape in Germany”. Also, it has become easier for Esports’ players from non-EU countries to obtain so-called Esports visas to travel to Germany, for short or longer periods, to participate in major Esports’ competitions or to watch them.

Furthermore, over 220 sports clubs in Germany have their own Esports’ sections and many German States are now promoting Esports.

The practice of Esports gives rise, amongst players and stakeholders, to a number of legal issues, which include copyright, contract law, doping, match-fixing, sporting integrity and dispute resolution modalities.

All these legal issues can be quite complex, in practice, and need expert professional advice and assistance to deal with them effectively and in a timely manner.

We provide such advice and assistance, and further information may be obtained from Oliver Fischer, the Head of our German Desk, by emailing him at fischer@valloni.ch.