Antitrust challenges in (mobile) eSports: App store restrictions and beyond

From being a casual hobby just a decade ago, eSports have evolved into a lucrative business worth over a billion US dollars. The eSports industry is growing quickly, especially in the mobile sphere. While video games were initially played only on PCs and game consoles, the proliferation of mobile devices has led to an increasing number of games being offered as mobile apps. This has, in turn, contributed to the development and growing popularity of “mobile eSports.”

But, this evolution has not been without challenges. The digital economy and particularly the growth of digital “gatekeeper” platforms have come under increasing antitrust scrutiny around the world. Most recently, the European Commission (the Commission) opened an investigation into Apple’s App Store, a critically important channel for gaming apps. In parallel, the traditional sports sector has also been subject to increased antitrust scrutiny, both in the EU and globally. So far, however, the antitrust concerns in eSports and traditional sports are very different.

Violetta Bourt and Tong Lap Way explore this further in this article. Read the full article here.