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At the Esports Summit in Paris last October, the Secretary of State for Digital Affairs, alongside the Ministry of Sports, presented a “National Esports Strategy 2020-2025” aimed at organizing the development of esports and video game competitions in the coming years.
Led by the Directorates General for Enterprises (DGE) and Sports (DS) in partnership with France Esports, the document briefly outlines key areas of focus designed to better structure the esports ecosystem and provide it with regulations tailored to the sector’s needs and challenges.
The government’s policy on video game competitions thus lists four areas of esports development, each with varying implications.
Video game competitions: Promoting the development of responsible and socially valued esports practices
The government intends to continue its efforts to democratize esports through its current stakeholders, encouraging inclusion and diversity, and raising awareness of health and social issues in schools and extracurricular settings.
Furthermore, the government plans to support the regulation of the sector, notably through the implementation of a “France Esports” certification program designed to inform participants, local authorities, and the general public.
Video games: Supporting the creation of an esports training program
The government wishes to contribute to existing efforts in training and regulating esports players. Recent years have seen the widespread implementation of esports programs in specialized higher education institutions and even in several high schools, presented as part of “technological innovations.”
However, these ambitious projects raise several concerns. Beyond the issues related to the very content of esports games, some of which are based not on mutual support and collaboration but on conflict and domination,
teaching competitive video gaming would indirectly expose students to a form of advertising for the products and content presented.
This aspect could conflict with the principle of educational neutrality, which would require strict agreements with the relevant video game publishers.
Regulation of a policy to support the development of French esports players
The esports sector has seen massive investment in recent years from companies that have ultimately disrupted the stable development of the sport.
To consolidate and improve existing practices, the government aims to organize and structure the French esports industry by regulating support for investors and incubators, and by broadening access through public investment.
The coming years should provide answers regarding salaried esports players, the taxation of video game competitions and associated winnings, and the adaptation of visa requirements for video game competitions abroad.
Promoting the attractiveness of France, its regions and its esports ecosystem
The government has finally expressed its desire to “strengthen the attractiveness of our region and ecosystem in the face of increased international competition.”
It specifies its intention to develop a strategy to promote esports in France, leveraging the momentum generated by the 2024 Olympic Games in France and France’s position as a major international hub for esports.
Proposed law on video game competitions: a failed attempt
On January 26, 2021, a bill introduced by Member of Parliament Céline Calez was presented to the National Assembly aiming to “democratize sport in France.”
The bill included several amendments related to esports, tabled by MP Denis Masséglia, which aimed to encourage responsible video game playing, foster connections between traditional sports and esports, and work towards a better structure for esports.
These amendments were ruled inadmissible as they were unrelated to the bill.
Given its often international participants and competitions, the development of video game competitions can only be considered with the support of other existing entities and structures abroad, including federations, organizers, and publishers.
