New government regulations will allow non-EU esports athletes to stay for up to 90 days in Germany.

The regulations came into play following a written request to the federal government from the FDP parliamentary group.

Germany’s esports association, the ESBD, praises move but emphasizes that the government’s lack of recognition of esports as a legitimate sport is crippling the industry.

The German federal government has announced a change of policy for foreign esports athletes competing in the region. Enacted in response to a written request from the Free Democratic Party (FDP) in the German Bundestag, the new regulation will enable foreign esports athletes to enter tournaments and events in Germany and stay for up to 90 days a year, with a simplified application process for visas.

Over recent years, pro esports players in Germany were required to have a work visa, and individual check-ups with the country’s labor agency. These measures could sometimes lead to entry bans and an explicit denial of “sports privileges”. The government now says there is no need for this individual screening, with esports essentially handled in the same way as traditional sports. Numerous major esports competitions are held in Germany, such as ESL One Cologne, and the European League of Legends Championship Series (EU LCS).

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Previously, German regulations presented many barriers for foreign esports athletes, including entry bans.[/perfectpullquote]

“We are pleased that esports athletes from all over the world now have easy access to German tournaments,” said Hans Jagnow, president of the Esport-Bund Deutschland (ESBD). EULCS Unicorns of Love and H2K Gaming are members, together with ESL and the German Games Industry Association.

“There still is a problem of long-term engagements of pro esports athletes,” Jagnow told The Esports Observer, referring to any stay over 90 days, which is typical for league play. “In this case, this isn’t to be handled as sports anymore, making this again a work visa issue and bringing uncertainty to the process.”

German sports clubs enjoy many benefits under their governing bodies, including the development of training programs and the promotion of student talent. Perhaps most significantly, traditional sports in Germany carry a not-for-profit status, that reduces corporate and commercial taxes, and allows clubs to receive tax-advantaged donations.

Currently, esports organizations have only been able to gain not-for-profit recognition by being officially classed as youth organizations. According to the ESBD, even multi-brand clubs that incorporate esports are at risk of putting their charitable status on the line by supporting esports.

As such, the new regulation does not wholly address concerns from Germany’s grassroots esports clubs, of which there are now over a hundred. Despite promises from Germany’s coalition government earlier in the year to recognize esports as a sport, there has been inconsistent movement on the suggested regulations thus far.