ISRAEL Law and Practice Contributed by: Tal Segev, Segev Tal Sports Law
Championship in the 10,000 metres, and a bronze medal at the World Championship in the marathon. Israeli women are free to participate in any sport of their choosing, and their achievements continue to raise the profile of women’s sport across the country. 8.2 Organisations and Initiatives to Promote Women’s Sport The Israeli Government Sports Bureau recently resolved to restrict the annual subsidy for sports clubs to those that actively promote women’s sporting activities. As a result, the vast majority of sports clubs have initiated plans to introduce and develop wom - en’s programmes. The Football Association has gone further, requiring clubs to field at least one under-18 women’s team in addition to a senior women’s side participating in one of the women’s football leagues, as a condition of receiving UEFA licensing under the UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Sustainability framework. Clubs that cannot afford to establish an additional team due to budgetary constraints may fulfil their obligations in other ways, such as bringing youth department players to women’s league matches or organising dedicated activities for female fans, includ - ing women’s fan zone initiatives. 9. Esports 9.1 Development and Growth of Esports The Israeli esports industry has grown considerably over the past decade, driven in large part by Israel’s status as a leading sports-tech nation. The Israeli Esports Association (IESA) was established during this period and serves as the principal regulator of the esports sector, as well as Israel’s member organisa - tion within the International Esports Federation (IESF). In 2017, Israel hosted its first major esports tourna - ment in Tel Aviv, attracting around 5,000 participants. The following year, the Israeli Ministry of Sports announced an investment of millions of shekels in esports infrastructure, encompassing dedicated are - nas and international tournaments. Israeli esports teams compete in international competitions, includ - ing League of Legends and racing events.
Israel’s broader gaming industry represents a sig - nificant economic force, employing over 8,000 pro - fessionals and generating in excess of USD2 billion annually, with Playtika and Overwolf among its glob - ally recognised leading companies. 9.2 Key Trends and Notable Deals in Esports The esports sector is increasingly characterised by collaboration with traditional sports organisa - tions, broadcasters and brands through sponsorship arrangements and media coverage, alongside grow - ing investment in dedicated gaming arenas, training facilities and event venues. Technologically, Israel is positioning itself as an inno - vation hub in this space. Israeli founders are actively developing AI-powered creation systems, platforms and technical infrastructure that underpin future inter - active experiences, and the country’s expertise in mobile gaming, virtual reality, augmented reality and blockchain places it as a significant player in the glob - al ecosystem. The industry has matured considerably, with 143 active companies, disclosed exits valued at approximately USD3.65 billion, and 52 of 63 gaming studios concentrating on mobile titles. The key distinction is that Israel is emerging as the “Start-Up Nation” of esports technology and infra - structure, rather than of competitive gaming per se – its focus lying in the tools, platforms and innovations that power the global industry rather than in fielding elite competitive teams. NFTs have yet to gain meaningful traction in Israeli sport, even as clubs worldwide have embraced digital tokens as a means of engaging fans and generating new revenue streams. The most notable domestic example is the Macca - bi World Union’s “Project Max”, which transformed iconic Maccabiah Games memorabilia into digital col - lectibles, making a piece of Jewish sporting history accessible to fans across the globe. 10. NFTs, AI and the Metaverse 10.1 Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)
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