Presently, esports is a booming industry across the world. Broadly explained, esports refers to a form of competition involving video games, typically among professionally trained players. The past decade has witnessed this phenomenon paving its way to the mainstream as an industry and a legitimate spectator sport.

With a vast population that is driven towards online gaming, new media, and inexpensive internet, the international market is ready for an esports boom.

Esports on the rise
The world is embracing esports with open arms. The growth, so to say, has happened in cycles, primarily influenced by international trends and internet access.

In the mid-2000s, Counter-strike and Dota made their way to the teenager’s hearts, and several cyber-cafes offered spaces for children to congregate. By today, millions of people are actively engaged in online gaming. With such a strong base of sports and other online games, it’s obvious for users to try their hands in casino sites too. You can check out the best online casinos in US when you want to keep yourself entertained along with making some side money.

Factors influencing the rise in Esports
Esports is expanding itself to newer territories and gaining higher popularity. However, certain elements are influencing this expansion.

● The development of ‘Mobile Sports’
There is no doubt that a smartphone is much more affordable than a PC or console. Also, there is a massive potential market for mobile esports gaming. The developers are already exploring the possibility of developing mobile esports tournaments using the software.

● Improved technology
The development of the technology powering esports has been a critical aspect contributing to its success. This not only refers to computers and consoles that used to play games, but also the software itself. Also, the degree of internet access has improved.

● Media coverage
At the moment, esports is pushed to the fringes in terms of the mainstream press in most of the countries. However, the landscape is continuously changing. Recently, Sky Sports dedicated primetime coverage on a Saturday afternoon to the FIFA eWorld Cup tournament. BBC Three is also getting on board by covering esports events.

Challenges
To benefit from the opportunities offered by this latest and exciting form of entertainment, one needs to nurture the esports ecosystem in the country, aided by strict laws and regulations.

The very first challenge that emerges is in the form of player rights. While esports professionals go through harsh training sessions, with some going up to 14 hours a day to stay competitive, the job security for them remains precarious. Players can be banned at the discretion of the game developers, and there is no mechanism for the players to appeal against these rulings.

Also, most of the players are made subject to unfair and exploitative contract provisions owing to their young age and little or no acquaintance with the complications of contract negotiation.

Moreover, doping is emerging as another challenge related to this field. In contrast to steroids and growth hormones that characterize the practice in traditional sports, esports players are using substances to improve their concentration and reflexes.