Singapore can position itself as a global leader in eSports

THE mass appeal for a sport can often be gauged by politicians associating themselves with it. Political leaders, especially today, often use the great leveller of competitive sports to connect with people.

By this measure, eSports - the sport of competitive video gaming - is right up there with football, tennis and basketball. Last December, the White House invited eSports champions to take part in a gaming tournament broadcast live to viewers across the world via Amazon's Twitch online streaming platform. It is one of the biggest endorsements eSports has had.

The political interest in eSports is a direct result of the rapid growth it has seen in recent years. By any measure, eSports is now a global phenomenon, its growth unmatched by any other sport. The industry has been growing at 42 per cent per year and is forecast to be worth US$1.9 billion by 2018.