Esports: De Gaulle Fleurance publishes a report on the economic and legal challenges facing a sector in transition

Articles 26 March 2026

Initially limited to a community of enthusiasts, esports – competitive video gaming – has established itself as a structured global phenomenon, at the crossroads of sport, entertainment and the digital world. It now attracts a massive, global audience and generates revenues comparable to those of certain traditional sports. Long dominated by North America and East Asia, the sector has expanded into new growth hubs (Europe, Latin America, Africa, India and, more recently, the Middle East) driven by significant public and private investment. De Gaulle Fleurance takes stock of this major trend.

A global market in continuous growth

The global esports market has experienced rapid growth, driven primarily by sponsorship and media rights. Global revenue is estimated at USD 2 billion in 2023, with a projection of nearly USD 4.2 billion in 2027 and forecasts suggesting it could exceed USD 10 billion in 2032. By way of comparison, the global video game market, the industry to which esports is linked, is projected to be worth nearly USD 189 billion in 2025.

This momentum is spreading to France. According to the Esports Economic Observatory, the sector’s turnover, as aggregated from the sample, rose from €31 million in 2019 to €116 million in 2022, representing an average annual growth of nearly 55%.

Furthermore, what was originally a private practice has become a major phenomenon: the global esports audience is expected to exceed 640 million viewers by 2026, comprising 318 million dedicated fans and 322 million casual viewers. In France, 11.8 million French people aged 15 and over say they are esports consumers or players, representing 23% of internet users in this age group.

A decisive phase of economic consolidation

The report’s authors provide an overview of the key players in this emerging sector (video game publishers, esports competition organizers, professional esports clubs, etc.) as well as the legal framework in place worldwide. France is thus one of the few countries to have legislated on the subject (Law No. 2016-1321 of 7 October 2016 on the Digital Republic).

Finally, one of the key characteristics of esports lies in the ownership held by publishers over the video games used in competitions. Consequently, due to the intellectual property rights they hold, publishers play a pivotal role in the esports ecosystem.

“The esports sector is entering a decisive phase of economic consolidation for all stakeholders within its value chain,” note the report’s authors, Smaïn Guennad, Partner, Esperanza Barrón Baratech, Senior Counsel, Grégoire Froussart and Victor Omnes, Solicitors. “Two major challenges are emerging in the short term: on the one hand, the sustainable, large-scale monetization of the audiences generated by the broadcasting of competitions, which is largely free and still undervalued; on the other hand, the search for a more stable, recurring and diversified business model, enabling the sector to reduce its structural dependence on sponsorship and external funding.”