CROATIA Law and Practice Contributed by: Lovro Badžim, Badžim Law Practice
– through leadership training, governance workshops, and support for female coaches, particularly in smaller or remote communities. Croatia is also involved in Erasmus+ projects like ReFrame Women in Sport, which tackle gender bias in sports media and storytelling, while civil-society platforms such as the Croatian Women’s Network help connect successful women in sport with broader professional and international networks. Taken together, these initiatives reflect a structured, policy-driven approach to women’s sport in Croatia. The emphasis is less on professional leagues and media rights, and more on long-term change: increas - ing participation, strengthening leadership pathways, and improving how women’s sport is perceived and valued across the system. 9. Esports 9.1 Development and Growth of Esports In Croatia, esport is still not formally recognised as a sport under the Sports Act. The law regulates tradi - tional sports, competitions, and public funding, but it does not list esport or virtual sports as a separate cat - egory. Official recognition depends on sport catego - risation criteria such as mass participation, organisa - tional structure, and international standing, and esport has not yet been included in the system of recognised sports overseen by the Croatian Olympic Committee. As a result, esport operates outside the formal sports system and has no access to public sports funding. Despite this, esport has developed quickly. Croatia has seen steady growth in teams, leagues, and tour - naments, particularly among younger participants, with Croatian players and teams regularly competing internationally. Dedicated gaming and esport venues now exist in major cities, and media coverage of major tournaments has become more common, even though public broadcasters have no specific legal obligation to cover esport. A central role in structuring the scene is played by the Croatian eSports Federation (HESS). Although it is not recognised as a national sports federation under
the Sports Act, HESS functions as the main umbrella body for esport in Croatia. It organises national com - petitions, sets basic competitive standards, repre - sents Croatian e-sport internationally, and acts as the primary institutional voice of the e-sport community. Its activities have helped professionalise the scene and provide continuity in the absence of formal state recognition. For now, esport in Croatia relies almost entirely on private funding, sponsorships, and participation fees. Given its continued growth in participation, audiences, and economic relevance, there is increasing pressure for future legal and policy adjustments that would bring esport closer to the formal sports system. 9.2 Key Trends and Notable Deals in Esports In the past year or so, the Croatian esports scene has continued its steady upward trajectory. Local players have collectively earned over USD2.2 million in inter - national prize money, especially in games like League of Legends. On the commercial side, new tournament infrastruc - ture and partnerships have developed. For example, international organiser Esport Pro Club launched a Croatian branch based around a dedicated esports arena in Zagreb and will run exclusive competitive leagues locally, signalling stronger ties between global esports operators and the Croatian market. Institutionally, the Croatian eSports Federation (CeSF) remains an important hub for organising competitions and representing the sector domestically and abroad, while public discourse on the future of esports in Croatia has been growing, including dedicated dis - cussions on the Games Croatia podcast that bring together industry leaders and federation officials. Another notable development is the expansion of Croatian gaming culture into adjacent business areas: the gaming café brand Friendly Fire signed a historic franchise deal to open 100 new locations across sev - eral European countries, highlighting how gaming and esports-related retail and social spaces are becoming significant commercial exports from Croatia.
82 CHAMBERS.COM
Powered by FlippingBook