La protección jurídica del menor en los esports

Abstract

Children’s and young people’s leisure in the 21st century has changed compared to previous centuries. The combination of sports, technology, leisure and entertainment has resulted in esports or electronic sports, in which thousands of children and young people in Spain participate, either at an amateur level, professionally or as a game. The consumption of video games and the organised competitions of minors bring about many benefits and risks, which are herein analysed from a legal perspective, including a study of the current legislation for the protection of minors as professionals as well as consumers and users of this type of organised audiovisual entertainment. The second part of the thesis includes a quantitative research, whose objective has been to analyse hostile behaviours and discriminatory treatment in esports among players between the ages of 9 and 17, taking into account the different types of video games, with the aim of finding out those in which toxic behaviours are more prevalent, as well as the patterns of discrimination that usually guide such behaviours, which are mainly gender and race. Finally, it being understood that the existing legislation is not sufficient for minors’ due protection in esports, a series of measures are proposed, aimed at legislators and at those in charge within the industry, for the protection of children who participate in esports: preventive, governmental and sanctioning actions that protect the mental health, well-being and rights of one of the most vulnerable population groups.