India has been witnessing steady developments in the esports industry. The latest of them being the establishment and launch of the eSports Players Welfare Association (EPWA), a non-profit organization. EPWA will ensure the safeguarding of professional, legal, and contractual rights of Indian eSports players.
Among all other sports, eSports is one of the fastest-growing industries with an audience of 474 million. Furthermore, eSports is a medal event in the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou. Currently, there are 1,50,000 players and 60,000 teams in esports and the numbers will grow to 1.5 million players and 250,000 teams by 2025.
EPWA’s main objective is to shield the interests of esports players all over India. Being the first of its kind, EPWA will offer liaison assistance to players through the guiding support of Amar Ratnam, an ex-pro gamer.
“The future of esports in India is bright, especially due to the penetration of 4G and the subsequent surge in mobile gaming. Professional governance and structures are vital to the success of any sport; the absence of either in the eSports industry in India is one of the key drivers that led to the formation of the eSports Players Welfare Association (EPWA). With the exponential increase in the number of eSports players (amateur and professional) and avenues for them to earn a living, EPWA will strive to ensure their rights are protected by defining industry norms, setting regulations, and assisting relevant stakeholders to form policies,” said Ritesh Nath, CEO, and founder of EPWA.
“eSports has been in the limelight lately with attention being drawn to it thanks to its inclusion as a medal event at the upcoming Asian Games in 2022 and potentially an Olympic nod as well. As wide as the gaming industry may be, the absence of any regulations or stringent rules in eSports allows for the exploitation of players. The top priority at EPWA will be to address player grievances regarding their legal obligations and contracts. EPWA will also work to bridge the awareness gap that exists in the country by educating the industry about the latest eSports rules and regulations from India and around the globe,” said Shivani Jha, Director.
Upholding the values of fairness, equality, transparency, and accountability, EPWA’s main agenda is to support enrolled eSports players. Below are the services that EPWA provides:
- Legal Advice: Professional and amateur eSports athletes alike are bound by contracts with their teams, sponsors and tournaments — often biased in nature. EPWA proposes to offer sound legal advice with the objective of insulating the interest of the eSports players associated with it.
- Contracts: Contracts being the bedrock of any engagement need to be carefully accepted, as such EPWA proposes to review and flag off concerns in team contracts, tournament contracts and sponsorships/endorsements.
- Career Advice: Navigating a career in eSports can be challenging on most occasions. EPWA helps define the various professions in eSports and equip them with tools to achieve their goals.
- Dispute Resolution: Should any player be addressed with hostile situations vis-a-vis their contractual obligations, EPWA strives to guide them on a way forward themselves or through third-party legal counsel.
- Community Building: EPWA aims to build a community of eSports players from across the country where they can exchange ideas, communicate and become a unified voice for eSports players in India.
EPWA is initially a membership format and players must sign up to become a member to access the above-mentioned services.
