The Challenges and opportunities for the eSports industry in Italy

Esports in less-established regions still face structural problems that prevent them from closing the gap with the leading countries. In Italy there is still no recognition of the phenomenon by public institutions, with critical issues arising from the distinctive features of the Italian socio-cultural and economic environment. Currently, most players still face an economically unsustainable situation, with the absence of appropriate regulation of gaming, the limited availability of adequate infrastructures, the lack of competent professionals, and the poor cooperation between stakeholders. Furthermore, there is still a negative bias towards gaming-related businesses, which devalues such activities by hindering investment and further progress. By analyzing the Italian context, this thesis explores the research question “What are the existing gaps in the Italian esports industry, and what opportunities exist to address and reduce them?”. The goal is to make esports and gaming a viable opportunity for Italy, highlighting the challenges of the industry and proposing possible solutions that can be implemented in the medium-long term. A mixed research approach, combining qualitative and quantitative methodologies, was adopted to thoroughly investigate the Italian esports ecosystem. The study integrates insights from industry reports, academic literature and data analysis. To enrich the findings, a public survey was conducted to assess the general perception of gaming and esports, along with semi-structured interviews with key industry stakeholders. Based on the results of the study, concrete and practical solutions are proposed, supported by real-world case studies and innovative strategies, that aim to bridge the identified gaps and promote a sustainable growth in the Italian esports industry.