A. INTRODUCTION
Although differences exist as concerns many points such as rules of plays, federations and teams, sports branches can meet on common ground when it comes to legal fundamentals. However, e-sports may call for various needs as to building legislation due to being different from usual term for sports.
One of the fundamental differences between conventional sports branches and e-sports arises in training and camping for the purpose of preparation for matches. As in many sports branches, camping periods are quite similar for teams during the season, and teams start pre-tournament or pre-match camping. That said, as for e-sports camping principles entirely differ from conventional sports branches, leading e-sports teams to build gaming houses under the roof of which gamers may accommodate, live and train. This is seemingly a great advantage for gamers, whereas it gives rises to severe issues when considered with age differences and uncertainty in working hours.
B. THE NATURE OF GAMING HOUSES AND NECESSITY FOR LEGISLATION
Agreements to be concluded between e-sports players and teams should be prepared precisely, taking into account all likely negative possibilities for parties.
Drafting agreements is of great importance, considering e-sports players’ ages and social development as regards gaming houses in which gamers not only get pre-season/pre-tournaments trainings, but also keep living.
Although agreements between parties may include clauses on gaming houses, taking profession e-sports players’ ages into consideration it would not be appropriate to let parties freely decide on provisions relating to gaming houses; which is why gaming houses need to be regulated.
It becomes known that gaming houses has been substantial issue, as reported by active and former e-sports players’ during interviews. For instance, in an interview with world famous Colin Johnson, the coach of Fanatic FIFA E-sports Team, on 21 September 2018, it is said that e-sports players were not allowed to receive guests, are under curfew for certain hours, and obliged to train for long hours, which means the players are exposed to serious issues for social development, leading to legal problems. Therefore, we believe that it is not acceptable for professional e-sports players and to live away from outdoor life and be restricted considering the fact that they are as young as child who are minors in terms of law, and they are in an important level of their social and educational life.
In spite of the fact that e-sports players are licensed professional players, the career in this area starts and ends at early ages, leading them to be impaired prospectively in social developments. In considering interviews with retired e-sports players, it becomes obvious that early retirement idea has arisen out of the urge to be free of gaming houses and have one’s its own life. When considered altogether, regulation negotiations are extremely important for child development and rights. It bears significance for sportive and sectoral developments of e-sports that provisions to be prescribed in agreements be restricted for the benefit of players, as gaming house rules determined unilaterally by e-sports teams may pose great threats for players mental health.
C. SUPERVISION OF GAMING HOUSES
Gaming houses that are built by e-sports teams should be designed in compliance with fundamental standards from the aspect of players’ health. As regards monitoring players’ health and nutrition conditions, and complete psycho-social development, determination and supervision of standards will help players to have sound life. Bringing certain standards for the environment in which little fellows will spend long time apart from their families, and live in periods they excitedly embark upon new experiences filled with dreams; and supervision thereof by public institutions will prevent current issues. In particular, adopting standards in nutrition, sports, social activities or general hygene of the whole gaming house, supervision of these standards and imposing administrative fines in case of non-compliance with the standards can be ranked among the methods to settle these unfavourable situations. Besides, the said supervisions have great importance for the purpose of preventing holding and usage of doping drugs that may affect e-sports activities and illegal drugs that may affect the youngsters health in gaming houses.
Such supervisory mechanism will not only be beneficial for e-sports players but also provide e-sports teams managements the opportunity to possess adequate information on gaming houses and increase the team’s chance of success. E-sports is a growing sector, giving rise to increase in e-sports players’ sponsor incomes. Huge amounts of incomes at early ages and misdirection can result in irremediable habits and social havoc, therefore efforts for legal work to devise supervisory mechanism are necessary for the purposes of providing stabilisation, serving the world as model, and most importantly, saving the future of the youngsters.
D. CONCLUSION
Gaming houses help e-sports players’ develop sportively and plant in team culture. However such activity, which is made for teams and players to benefit also leads to many problems. Due to problems, in particular gaming house issues that reverberated lately in media, and currently problems created by players who have tendency for homophobia, many factors for youngsters who have become professional player at a very young age, gaming houses standards should be determined in efforts to be made for legislation in this area. On the other hand, gaming house rules set up unilaterally by e-sports teams render the players vulnerable. Therefore, in the first step all necessary efforts for legislation in terms of health, nutrition, materials that can and cannot be found in gaming houses, professions needed in gaming houses etc. should be made, and these should be periodically supervised by public institutions.