Berlin, Germany – December 25, 2025 – A landmark decision recognizing e-sports organizations as eligible for non-profit status has been reached in Germany, potentially unlocking critically important funding and support for the burgeoning competitive gaming scene. The move, years in the making, acknowledges e-sports as a public benefit activity, aligning it with conventional sports organizations and opening doors for charitable contributions and tax advantages.
First proposed in the 2018 coalition agreement and reaffirmed by the current government, the non-profit designation addresses a long-standing need within the German e-sports ecosystem. This ruling benefits e-sports clubs dedicated to community engagement and development, while safeguarding the independence of both e-sports and conventional sports structures. The decision is expected to foster growth at the grassroots level and promote e-sports as a socially beneficial activity.
The path to this outcome has been protracted. While initially planned by the “traffic light” coalition government, implementation faced delays. The current approval marks a pivotal moment, acknowledging the value of e-sports and the clubs operating for the common good.
Data from a recent YouGov Deutschland GmbH survey conducted between November 7th and 12th,2025,supports the broad appeal of e-sports.The online survey of 2,047 individuals, weighted to be representative of the German population aged 16 and over, provides a foundation for understanding public perception of the industry.
The decision was announced by game – the Association of the German games Industry – which represents the entire german games ecosystem, including development studios, publishers, e-sports organizers, educational institutions, and related organizations. As co-organizer of gamescom, the world’s largest event for computer and video games, game also holds shares in key industry bodies such as USK, the Digital Games Culture Foundation, the esports player foundation, game events, and the collecting society VHG. The institution serves as a central point of contact for media, politics, and the public, advocating for the growth and responsible development of the German games industry.
