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E-Sports Guidelines

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Guidelines Governing the Conduct of Electronic Sports in the Philippines

The Games and Amusements Board (GAB) is encouraging and giving its full support to new and emerging professional sports in its new Resolution on E-sports. The resolution applies to all professional electronic sports (E-sports), which are competitive videogames of both new and existing genres. Players and/or teams compete using computers or other electronic gadgets connected to either the internet or a local area network for prize money. It does not cover elimination or qualifying rounds participated in by enthusiasts and/or the general public involving token prizes with an amount or value not exceeding P10,000.

How are E-sports regulated?

The resolution provides for a license for all persons and entities connected with E-sports. The following requirements must be complied with in order to receive a license: 

  1. a duly accomplished application form; 
  2. two copies of a 2×2 ID picture; 
  3. a government issued ID; 
  4. parental consent in case of minors; 
  5. income tax returns or statement of assets & liabilities for promoters; 
  6. a certificate of membership or letter of endorsement from accredited association/club or professional license card issued abroad for new applicants; and 
  7. drug test results for THC and methamphetamines. 

The license for a professional E-sports player shall be valid for one year, while all other types of licenses shall be valid for two years. For purposes of renewal a player’s license must be renewed prior to his birthday, while every other type of license must be renewed prior to the birthday of the licensee. The resolution also imposes an additional requirement for competitions abroad, all professional Filipino E-sports players must first secure an authority to travel or compete abroad from the GAB prior to the competition.

Tournaments

The resolution also provides for a permit for the conduct of tournaments, competitions or games. The promoter of the tournament, competition or game shall file for the issuance of the permit with the GAB at least ten days prior to the date of the event. The GAB must also receive a share in the income of any E-sports event. The GAB is entitled to 3% of the gross gate receipts and income from television, radio and motion picture rights of the event, and the same must be remitted not later than fifteen days from the date of the event. Prior to the date of the event the organizers must deposit 50% of the estimated 3% share the GAB is entitled to. The following must also be submitted for accounting purposes: a printer’s affidavit containing the number, classification and prices of the tickets printed; the contract of the TV or Radio coverage or motion pictures; a report of actual tickets sold.

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