US Grants Esports Players Professional Athlete Visas

Riot Games, the developer of League of Legends, successfully lobbied US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to classify competitive video gamers as professional athletes for visa purposes. This change allows non-US citizens to obtain P-1 visas, typically reserved for professional sports athletes and teams, to compete in the US. The decision was announced in 2013, ahead of the League of Legends World Championships scheduled for October at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, with additional venues. Riot Games argued that its tournaments attract audiences comparable to traditional sports broadcasts, citing 8.1 million viewers for the previous season's championship, including 1.1 million online viewers for the final. The prize pool for the upcoming World Championships is $8 million, with $1 million for the winning team. Nick Allen, Riot's head of e-sports, confirmed that the US government now recognizes League of Legends pro players as professional athletes. This classification is expected to ease the entry of international players into the US for tournaments. The decision reflects the growing economic significance of competitive gaming, though it remains unclear whether game developers will receive similar recognition.