Welsh Senedd group planned to support esports growth

The Welsh Government plans to establish a cross-party group in the Senedd to discuss esports growth, skills and investment, and ways to attract more tournaments and events to Wales.

The informal group would bring together Members of the Senedd from different parties, outside organisations and members of the public. Two Senedd parties have already committed to joining, according to Heledd Fychan, who responded to questions from Reform UK politician Benjamin Hodge Mckenna.

Mckenna asked what the government was doing to promote esports and whether Wales could pursue an ambition similar to London’s plan to become a global esports hub. He said tournaments could bring tourism and economic benefits to Wales and called for action to attract more events.

He cited a Greater London Authority estimate that the 2025 Blast Premier London Open generated more than £30 million in economic impact for London. He also referred to Stockton University in the United States, which describes esports tournaments as an “untapped tourism opportunity.”

In her response, Fychan pointed to support from Creative Wales, the Welsh Government body responsible for backing the creative industries. Creative Wales has supported Esports Wales in developing skills and career opportunities linked to competitive video gaming.

The government considers proposals for economic investment in esports when they are submitted. It also supports Wales’s video game industry through funding for game development and production, skills programmes and trade opportunities.

In September, the government took eight Welsh video game developers to the Tokyo Games Show, an industry trade event in Japan.

Fychan said more could be done to support esports in Wales. The issue will be considered as part of a new strategy under development, and Senedd members have been invited to suggest ways to include esports in the strategy.

The proposed group would be a Senedd forum, rather than a government department or statutory body. Cross-party groups allow members from different parties to discuss specific issues with organisations and the public.

Other governments and public bodies have also given esports formal recognition. Brazil recognised esports as a sporting activity in October 2026, creating a legal framework for video games. Earlier in 2026, the UK’s Office for National Statistics announced that esports would receive official business classification codes for the first time.

On July 30, former Colombian President Gustavo Petro sanctioned a law recognising esports as an official sport and placing it within Colombia’s National Sports System.

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