Management Structures and Legal Frameworks in eSports

Establishment of the Professional License System

The Japanese eSports Union (JeSU) has established its own professional license system with the aim of promoting the spread of eSports and enhancing the status of players. This licensing system also aims to address the traditional issues related to regulations under the Japanese Act against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations by positioning tournament prize money as “compensation.”

As of June 2019, JeSU defines three types of licenses: the Japan eSports Pro License, the Japan eSports Junior License, and the Japan eSports Team License.

The officially recognized competition titles eligible for these licenses include Winning Eleven 2019, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, Street Fighter V Arcade Edition, Tekken 7, Puzzle & Dragons, Puyo Puyo, Monster Strike, Rainbow Six Siege, Guilty Gear Xrd Rev 2, BlazBlue Central Fiction, and BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle.

Changes and Current Status of Organizational Structure in Japan

The Japanese eSports Union (JeSU), which operates this licensing system, was established through a major organizational restructuring in February 2018 (Heisei 30).
It was formed by the integration of three organizations that had been operating independently: the Japanese e-Sports Association (JeSPA), the Japanese e-Sports Federation (JeSF), and the e-Sports Promotion Organization. Before the integration, each of these organizations independently conducted eSports tournaments and promotional activities.

JeSU primarily aims to nurture eSports athletes and enhance their social status. In addition to managing the aforementioned professional licensing system, JeSU is also working towards joining the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC).

In 2019 (Heisei 31), new developments have been observed, such as the establishment of the General Incorporated Association Japan eSports Promotion Association in May 2019 and the planned commencement of activities by the General Incorporated Association Japan Amateur e-Sports Association.
Moving forward, attention is focused on how the roles of these organizations will be divided and which organization will function as the true governing body.

International Management Framework and Development

These movements in Japan align with international trends. The International e-Sports Federation (IeSF) serves as the core organization responsible for the international management and operation of e-sports. Since its establishment in 2008 (Heisei 20), the IeSF has been headquartered in Busan, South Korea, and as of August 2019 (Reiwa 1), 54 countries and regions have joined.

The IeSF is dedicated to establishing e-sports as an international sport that transcends cultural and linguistic barriers. It promotes the official recognition of international tournaments and the development of competition rules. Furthermore, the IeSF is actively working towards the inclusion of e-sports in the Olympic Games by seeking recognition as an International Federation (IF) by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

However, there are concerns regarding the domestic licensing system, as the titles eligible for recognition are limited, potentially restricting opportunities for players of non-recognized titles. Continuous evaluation and discussion are necessary to assess the necessity and effectiveness of the system.