Esports is no longer informal, but legitimate, governed form of sport: Reddy

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu will host the Global Esports Championship from November 7 to 16, 2025, at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, marking the first world-level esports event in India to be backed by a government. The tournament, organised by Skyesports with support from the Government of Tamil Nadu, will feature Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) and Counter-Strike 2 (CS2), with a combined prize pool of Rs 1 crore.

Hosted by the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, the championship could mark a turning point in how public sports institutions in India view competitive gaming. In an interview with DT Next, SDAT Member Secretary Meganatha Reddy outlines the government’s reasoning, the policy framework under discussion, and how the State plans to balance enthusiasm for esports with regulatory responsibility. Following are the excerpts…

The idea behind organising an esports event of such magnitude...

Tamil Nadu has been exploring esports for over two years now. It was introduced as a demonstration sport during the Chief Minister’s Trophy 2023. Once we saw the level of interest and participation, it made sense to organise a large-scale event that could draw in the wider esports ecosystem and signal institutional recognition for it. The approach is to treat esports as part of the broader sporting landscape.

What kind of investment has been made for the upcoming championship?

The estimated cost of the event is between Rs 9 to10 crore. The State government’s contribution is about Rs 4.5 crore, and the remainder will come from partnerships and sponsors.

What convinced the State that esports deserves government recognition?

The trends are clear. Esports has already been recognised by the International Olympic Committee, featured in the Asian Games, and now being adopted by countries like Saudi Arabia as a national-level competitive platform. Discussions are also ongoing about its inclusion in future Olympic programmes. When we introduced esports at the State level, the reception from participants was stronger than expected. That experience indicated that the format has the capacity to engage a large section of young people who might not be part of conventional sport.

The relationship between esports and the younger generation...

There is a clear generational shift in how young people engage with competition and recreation. Many children between 8 and 18 years combine outdoor sport with digital forms of play. For this generation, gaming is not limited to entertainment; it’s also a social and competitive activity. In that sense, esports represents a new field of play. The State’s responsibility is to recognise that shift and build frameworks that support it in a structured and responsible way.

Critics often question whether promoting esports also encourages more screen time. How do you address that concern?

That concern exists, but regulating screen time is not a function of the State. Society as a whole has become screen-dependent, be it for work, communication, entertainment and daily services. Rather than resisting that shift, the government can create regulated and constructive spaces within it. Structured competition like esports can channel digital habits into skill-based and organised activities, which is a more practical approach than attempting to restrict them.

Beyond participation, does esports offer tangible career opportunities?

It does. Many professional players today earn through tournaments, sponsorships, and content creation. When Tamil Nadu received recognition as the Best State Promoting Esports at the GEM Conference in Bengaluru, we interacted with players who had established careers through the industry. Esports also connects to a wider employment ecosystem, like developers, designers, analysts and production professionals. Therefore, the State sees it as a sporting and economic opportunity.

What’s the status of esports policy? What areas will it cover?

The policy is under preparation and still in the discussion stage. The aim is to define the ecosystem around esports including players, developers, infrastructure, and regulatory aspects. We intend to look at the creation of dedicated gaming spaces, guidelines for tournaments, and ways to encourage local game development. It would also mean that esports is understood as a legitimate and governed form of sport, not an informal or isolated activity. The idea is to ensure that growth happens with accountability and oversight.