"It’s imperative there are clear rules around gambling"

2016-11-15

Reading time 1:58 min

Ken Hershman is the Executive Chairman and Commissioner of the World Esports Association (WESA), an organization that recently hit the headlines when announcing the creation of an arbitration court —the first of its kind in the sector— that will allow athletes, teams, organisers and game publishers to settle “a range of issues, including contract disputes, prize money pay out and distribution, financial misconduct and Player representation.”

Furthermore, these issues will be decided by an impartial panel of three Arbitrators, although the parties can also agree to utilize a single arbitrator (sole Arbitrator) for certain disputes. The decisions at the end of the confidential proceedings are final and there are no appeals.

In an exclusive talk with Yogonet, Mr. Hershman explained the scope of the tribunal and affirmed that “clear rules around gambling” were not necessary but “imperative.”

Why did WESA decide to introduce an arbitration court?

Our mission is to professionalize esports. We saw a need for this type of service within our sport and since no one else took the initiative to solve it, we took it upon ourselves to put an option in place for the entire industry.
What is the scope of the Court? Will it cover disputes globally?
Any two parties – anywhere in the world – are able to leverage the arbitration court to settle their disputes.

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We wanted to ensure anyone involved in the industry could utilize the process

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How will the three Arbitrators be selected?

The parties to the arbitration will select their own arbitrators, with each party selecting one and then those two selecting the third. In most cases the arbitrators will take care of complying with procedural requirements.

Why will it operate independent of the WESA organization?

This links back to our mission to professionalize esports – we wanted to ensure that anyone involved in the industry could utilize the arbitration process, not just those teams or players that participate in WESA sanctioned leagues.

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It’s imperative there are clear rules around gambling

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How popular do you find eSports among Millennials?

All of the data points to the fact that esports is very popular among millennials – not only in the size of the audience, but also how they engage with it on an almost daily basis.

How do you analyze the eSports gambling industry facing current calls to legalize the market?

While it would be preferable for there to be self-regulation, given the size and scope of the esports industry, and its natural inclusion of underage audiences, it’s imperative there are clear rules around gambling. Rules can also help protect the integrity of the competition, helping prevent match fixing and other forms of heating.

In your opinion, how can casino operators capitalize eSports?

Casinos need to continue to attract millennials to their properties. Esports is one way that they can bring in this hard-to-reach demographic, whether that means hosting esports tournaments or even setting up esports experiences for their guests.