On Tuesday 12th March, the great and the good of the esports industry gathered in the Palace of Westminster for the All-Party Parliamentary Group Video Games and esports’ first event of 2019.
Esports is a fast growing and evolving industry, engaging millions across the globe in competitive play. With the industry expected to reach $1.6n in revenue by 2020, it is crucial, that there is the right political climate in the UK to ensure that this industry can grow to its fullest potential. Following on from the success of the first Parliamentary esports event last year, engagement between those working in the sector and parliamentarians was taken up a notch in the form of an intimate roundtable.
Ed Vaizey, who chaired the session, introduced leading esports processionals Rob Black (ESL) Niccolo Maisto (FACEIT), Jonathan Tilbury (BenchMark Sports International) and asked them thought-provoking questions throughout the course of their presentations.
During the latter part of the session MPs Alex Sobel, Scott Mann and Matt Western seized the opportunity to engage with both of those who presented and industry heavyweights, which included Michael O’Dell (Dignitas), Josh Williams NUEL) and David Yarnton (Edge Esports).
Given the level of detail requested of industry representatives on matters relating to venue capacity, funding and local support, it is clear that UK parliamentarians have woken up to the potential for the growth of esports.