India has reclassified competitive gaming as a professional sport, placing it in the same category as cricket, soccer, and other sports. The country’s Esports Federation made this “monumental decision” to grow its professional presence and league ambitions.
This reclassification will open up sponsorship and investment opportunities for esports and it will now be overseen by India’s Department of Sports.
Esports was a medal event at the 2022 Asian Games and global esports prize winnings reached $220.9 million in 2022. Indian players placed 29th among all countries with $1.6 million, while Chinese players led with $45 million in earnings.
The top 10 esports teams were worth an average of $353 million as of May 2022.
