The Games and Amusement Board recently signed a resolution allowing the professionalization of E-Sports in the Philippines—a first in Asia.
GAB Chairman Abraham Kahlil ‘Baham’ Mitra, together with Commissioners Eduard Trinidad and Mar Masanguid, said that legitimizing E-Sports as a duly recognized professional sport in the country, also ensures the protection of e-sports athletes and organizers.
“This new endeavor is GAB’s effort to promote responsible gaming,” said Mitra, a former Palawan Governor and two-time member of the House of the Representatives.
“E-Sports is here to stay. It is part of technological evolution and a reality that has evolved into a new kind of sport, not only in our country but in the other parts of the world as well,” added Mitra.
Mitra said that GAB actually started to sanction E-Sports a year ago.
During the span of six months, seven E-Sports games, including the Galaxy Battles 2 were held locally.
“In the 3rd and 4th quarters of 2017, 107 professional E-Sports athletes were licensed by the Board. These permits and licenses brought in a total of P92,340.00 additional revenue for the government for 2017 alone,” claimed Mitra.
“Total permits and licenses issued for E-Sports in 2018 reached 207 for a total of P403,890 additional revenue,” he said.
The GAB chairman claimed that future E-Sports tournaments are expected not only to promote tourism, with foreign E-Sports participants coming into the country, but also to increase revenue shares of the government, through issued licenses and permits as well as GAB shares from the tournament tickets.