November 5, 2018

Ukie reports that the Houses of Parliament opened its doors and welcomed UK esports businesses onto its premises “for the first time ever”. In partnership with Intel, Digital Schoolhouse and the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Video Games, Ukie led the event enabling Members of Parliament to join esports businesses, sports organisations and brands to learn of the scale of esports in the UK.

The event coincided with the announcement of the 2018 Budget. Ukie said that to still have such a positive turn out from the industry and political world clearly emphasised the importance of esports in the UK. With the BFI’s recent Screen Business report having highlighted esports as one of the fastest growing sectors within the UK games industry, generating £18.4 million in GVA in 2016, the turnout was clearly justified, it said.

The event featured topics such as the opportunities for growth in the sector on a local and national level, and how it could inspire young people into developing digital skills whilst exploring careers in an ever-digital world. Alex Sobel MP, the new chair of the All-Parliamentary Group, highlighted the significance of esports, describing it as “a serious sector with many opportunities”. The event also held a panel to discuss views on where the opportunities lay for UK esports.

Ukie said that the event was “a huge success” and that it will “continue to push for esports’ importance and significance within the UK’s economy and look forward to opening the floor to esports once again”. To read Ukie’s news item in full, click here.