Denmark’s Ministry of Culture announce new esports strategy

Denmark’s Ministry of Culture have announced their plans for a strategy to improve grassroots and business opportunities in the Danish esports landscape.

The initiative from the Danish government appears to be the first of its kind, and along with promoting esports itself, also seeks to integrate the scene with sports more broadly.

On the new strategy and panel, the Danish Minister for Culture, Mette Bock stated: “We must ensure a good framework for the sport. Esports is in fast-paced sporting and economic development, where Danish sportsmen are in the world elite.

“Large groups, especially young boys have changed their leisure habits and patterns of socialising. It opens up opportunities, but also raises concerns, not least among many parents. The upcoming esports panel will also have to address this.

“We must ensure a good framework for the sport”

Additionally, the national strategy will emphasise the development of healthy environments and communities as a driving force for positive growth. In order to best gauge community needs and mould the new national strategy, the Ministry of Culture will host an esports panel on how to seize the opportunities and meet the challenges of esports in Denmark.

The Ministry of Culture has outlined some of the key talking points of the panel, which will be set up at an undefined time before the coming summer. Key areas of inquiry include:

• The building of a sustainable, top-to-bottom structure for Danish esports
• The strengthening of national talent development
• Establishing a common vision for esports’ integrity, such as tackling toxicity, cheating and skin gambling
• The development of communities and associations and how they can impact the lives of players
• How to attract more women and girls to esports
• How to create good commercial development opportunities for growth, entrepreneurship and employment for esports in Denmark
• Other focus areas (revision of laws, rules, etc.) that can support the development of esports

We have seen the Danish authorities recently cracked down on the likes of skin gambling websites, with the gambling regulator Spillemyndigheden working with ISPs to 15 ban unauthorised sites.

Esports Insider says: It is refreshing to see a government working so hard to develop an esports industry. If they can implement just a few of these key talking points from the panel, we do not doubt that Danish esports will continue to be successful.