Tobias Scholz had the opportunity to contribute to two events in the field of esports and gambling research. On October 10th, he participated in the Bristol Hub for Gambling Harms Research Colloquium at the University of Bristol. As part of a panel on sports and gambling, he discussed “Esports and gambling: a risky game in the digital arena.” His focus was on the self-regulation of gambling in esports, given its global nature. He highlighted the spectrum of gambling influence across different games, from League of Legends with no official gambling to Counter-Strike, which is heavily influenced by sponsorship and skin-betting. This underscores the importance of understanding esports as a future lab for digital society and the need for global solutions.
The following day, October 11th, he had the pleasure of returning to his alma mater, the University of Siegen, for the Risk Governance Conference. There, he presented on “From Pixels to Medals: Reevaluating Competition through the Olympic Esports Games.” This topic is generating significant interest as the IOC has announced Olympic Esports Games for October/November 2025. His talk addressed the numerous questions surrounding this development, including how game publishers are approaching it and how National Olympic Committees are forming teams. A key focus was on governing the risks to ensure these games become a compelling spectator event.
These experiences reinforce the belief in the critical importance of esports research. As a microcosm of our online world, esports offers valuable insights into the future of digital interaction, competition, and governance. By studying esports, we gain a unique perspective on the issues and challenges facing our increasingly digital society.
