Esports Clubs to Be Treated as Non-Profit Organisations From the Beginning of 2026 in Germany

From 1 January 2026, esports clubs will be treated as non-profit organisations. Following the publication of an initial draft text at the beginning of the week, which raised a number of legal issues (as reported by GamesMarkt), the final government draft has now been warmly welcomed by game - Verband der deutschen Games-Branche (the German Games Industry Association), the E-Sport-Bund Deutschland (ESBD; German E-Sports Federation and the Landessportbund Nordrhein-Westfalen (North Rhine-Westphalia State Sports Federation). As well as recognising esports and clubs that operate in the public interest, the new regulations also preserve the autonomy of esports and traditional sports. Following the first mention of non-profit status for esports in the 2018 coalition agreement, this draft law is the first step towards its implementation, although it still has to be approved in the parliamentary process.

From 1 January 2026, esports clubs will be treated as non-profit organisations. Following the publication of an initial draft text at the beginning of the week, which raised a number of legal issues (as reported by GamesMarkt), the final government draft has now been warmly welcomed by game - Verband der deutschen Games-Branche (the German Games Industry Association), the E-Sport-Bund Deutschland (ESBD; German E-Sports Federation and the Landessportbund Nordrhein-Westfalen (North Rhine-Westphalia State Sports Federation). As well as recognising esports and clubs that operate in the public interest, the new regulations also preserve the autonomy of esports and traditional sports. Following the first mention of non-profit status for esports in the 2018 coalition agreement, this draft law is the first step towards its implementation, although it still has to be approved in the parliamentary process.