E-sport becoming a serious business in Hungary

Miklós Zaránd, director of PwC Hungary’s business advisory branch

With the annual global revenue of the e-sport sector expected to reach USD 1.5 billion by 2020, the Hungarian market is relatively small, but dynamically developing, says PwC.

“We do not have data available about the size of the e-sport market in Hungary, but the size of the video game market may provide a good approximation. According to a 2017 eNet survey, the value stood at about USD 109 million in Hungary,” the report says.

Traditional sports clubs such as MTK, DVTK, and Honvéd are considered the pioneers in opening up e-sport sections, with DVSC also in possession of a major FIFA section, and FTC just joining the emerging trend, along with with UTE. 

“The opinions regarding how much one should apply the same limits on e-sport as on traditional sports are very divided,” notes Miklós Zaránd, director of PwC Hungary’s business advisory branch. “However, most experts agree, that in order to maintain the industry’s sustainable growth, the questions regarding the regulation of e-sport like taxation, gambling, game organization, and child protection must be solved as soon as possible, to frame e-sport within institutionalized limitations,” he adds. 

The Hungarian government also appears to be on board with recent developments. The “Digital Wellbeing Program” actively supports e-sport initiatives, while also advocating the urgent solution of questions regarding regulation.  

Ádám Osztovics, leading partner of PwC Hungary’s business advisory branch

“The e-sport market is developing in a diverse way, which results in a growing interest in Hungary and the CEE region, mostly among advertisers in the present day,” said Ádám Osztovics, leading partner of PwC Hungary’s business advisory branch. “The question now is not whether the actors on the market would join the e-sport market, but when and how.”