Esports — organised competitive video gaming — has grown rapidly in Australia, with school competitions, university teams, community clubs, and a growing professional scene. As a distinctly digital sport, esports faces a different funding landscape than traditional sport, but grant funding is available — particularly from technology companies, youth development funders, and community foundations that recognise gaming as a significant part of youth culture. This guide covers the key funding sources for esports in Australia.
Esports is not yet well-integrated into traditional sport grant frameworks in Australia. Sport Australia does not currently recognise esports as a funded sport, and most gaming trusts and state sport agencies are not actively funding esports.
However, funding is available from:
- Technology companies with education and community investment programmes
- Youth development funders
- Community foundations with community wellbeing priorities
- Telecommunications companies (infrastructure and digital inclusion)
- Educational institutions
The key is framing — esports applications are strongest when they position gaming in the context of digital literacy, career pathways, youth inclusion, and mental health benefits.
Technology companies are the most active funders of esports in Australia:
Google.org and Google for Education: Digital skills, technology access, and youth innovation programmes.
Microsoft Education: Technology in schools, digital skills development.
Intel: Support for esports infrastructure and events globally.
Dell and Alienware: Youth gaming initiatives.
Logitech G: Gaming peripheral company with community investment.
Riot Games (publisher of League of Legends): Community grants and collegiate esports investment.
Blizzard Entertainment / Activision: School-based esports leagues and community investment.
Most technology company giving operates through formal community investment programmes or sponsorship relationships. Building a relationship with a local or regional representative is the most practical approach.
State governments fund digital literacy and technology access:
Digital Skills and Inclusion: Each state has digital inclusion programmes that may fund community esports where it's framed as digital skills development.
Telecommunications companies' community grants:
- Telstra Foundation: Digital inclusion and technology for underserved communities
- Optus: Digital inclusion grants
- NBN Co: Digital connectivity and digital literacy
These funders are interested in esports as a vehicle for digital inclusion — particularly for youth, rural communities, and disadvantaged populations.
Esports has growing recognition as a legitimate youth engagement tool. Youth development funders who have funded esports-adjacent programmes include:
Office for Youth (various states): Youth engagement grants.
Youth Justice and at-risk youth programmes: Esports as an engagement tool for disengaged youth.
Community trusts and foundations: Some have funded gaming and esports as part of youth wellbeing and social connection programmes.
Positioning esports as a mental health, social connection, and skill-building activity — alongside its entertainment value — is effective for youth development funding.
School esports is growing rapidly in Australia, with dedicated school esports leagues and competitions. Funding for school esports:
Gaming equipment grants: Technology and classroom equipment grants from state education departments.
Microsoft Education: Technology grants for schools.
Telstra Foundation / Telstra for Business: Technology access and digital skills.
School fundraising and P&C: Many school esports programmes are funded by the school community.
High Schools Esports League (HSEL): A commercial league operator that helps schools set up esports programmes — not a grant funder but a pathway to organised school esports.
Libraries and community centres increasingly host esports sessions as part of digital inclusion and youth engagement programmes. Funding:
State library grants: Technology and programme funding.
Local council community development grants: Youth and community activity.
Community foundations: Youth social inclusion and digital access.
Esports applications are most successful when they:
Lead with outcomes, not the activity: Instead of "we want to run an esports competition," explain what youth participants will gain — career skills, social connection, digital literacy, improved school engagement.
Address concerns proactively: Funders may have concerns about gaming and youth (screen time, violence). Address these directly with evidence of wellbeing benefits.
Include diversity and inclusion: Women and girls in esports, First Nations players, players with disability — inclusion strengthens applications.
Show community need: Who are the young people who will benefit? Why is an esports programme appropriate for them?
Demonstrate safety: Online safety, anti-toxicity policies, appropriate supervision for youth events.
Connect to digital literacy: The transferable skills from gaming (teamwork, strategy, communication, technology fluency) are fundable outcomes.
As esports continues to grow and establish community infrastructure, more mainstream sport funders may engage. Already:
- Some gaming trusts have begun funding esports clubs
- State sport bodies are exploring how esports fits in their community sport framework
- Digital skills and youth wellbeing funders are increasingly receptive
The funding landscape for esports in Australia is evolving rapidly.
Tahua's grants management platform helps organisations manage their grant applications across diverse funding sources — tracking applications, managing reporting requirements, and demonstrating the community outcomes that funders want to see.