Background
Esports has evolved into a multi-billion-dollar global industry where minors increasingly compete alongside adults in high-stakes tournaments. Unlike traditional sports with established child protection frameworks, esports operates under fragmented governance with inconsistent age verification and welfare standards. This exposes youth participants to potential exploitation and health risks.
Objectives
This study examines the scope and outcomes of underage esports participation over 25 years. Specific aims include analyzing demographic trends, prize inequalities, platform and genre patterns, and career trajectories among youth competitors.
Methods
Analysis of 288,898 tournament records from Esports Earnings (2000–2024) identified 33,922 instances of competitors under the age of 18. The Gini coefficient assessed prize inequality. Longitudinal tracking of 3,426 players examined career transitions from minor to adult competition. Cross-tabulations analyzed participation patterns across platforms (PC, console, mobile) and genres.
Results
Late adolescents (16–17 years) comprised 79 % of minor participants, with females representing only 0.80 %. Minors collectively earned $87 million, yet prize distribution was highly skewed (Gini = 0.8771). The top 1 % of minor earners claimed 38.93 % of total earnings. Mobile platforms (13.78 % minor participation) and sports/battle royale genres (29.24 % and 21.13 % respectively) showed disproportionately high youth representation. Among players continuing past age 18, 74.34 % achieved higher adult earnings. However, career spans averaged only 3.2–5.6 years depending on entry age. Earliest entrants (<13) achieved longest careers (5.6 years) yet represented the smallest cohort (n = 70).
Conclusions
Extreme prize inequality, severe gender disparities, compressed career trajectories, and fragmented governance create high-risk environments for youth esports participants. Findings underscore the need for protective frameworks including age-appropriate competitive structures, mandatory age verification, and practice limitations. Standardized child-labor protections are essential to balance competitive opportunities with youth wellbeing.
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