The world of esports is growing exponentially and is creating world-class athletes in countries around the globe.
One particular country has seen a very serious rise in esports tournaments and hard-to-beat players. The country in question is Finland and it appears to be making waves in the esports world.
Finland chose to officially recognize esports players back in 2017. This ruling meant that every professional player’s earnings are taxed. But did you know that a specific portion of their earnings and winnings is set aside? This is so the players can enjoy a tax-free fund that they’ll have access to when they retire.
Online casinos and esports
It’s no wonder that esports has taken off in Finland. After all, it is a nation of online gamblers. Many Finns take great pleasure in visiting Betsafe and other online casinos. Plenty of Finns also place a bet on esports, which makes sense now that they take it seriously.
There’s no doubt about it – esports and online gambling work hand in hand. Professional esports athletes do their thing and those who like a flutter also do their thing. It’s an almost perfect symbiotic relationship.
Earning big money
Finland is home to some of the best esports players in the world. Top players such as JerAx, Lasse Aukusti Urpalainen and Topias Taavitsainen have won millions of dollars so far. Finland is also home to the world’s highest-earning team, with Team Gigantti taking home more than $200,000. This just goes to show how serious the world of esports has become.
Just over a decade ago, only a handful of people had the chance to make money from gaming. Game designers and programmers were pretty much the only people who could take money home thanks to their hobby. Now things have changed and the world of gaming is helping many people earn more money than they ever thought possible.
Finnish esports tournaments
Back in 2019, esports was established as part of the Finnish Olympic Committee. The assembly tournament that takes place every other year has quickly become one of the best esports competitions in the world. Professional and amateur Finnish teams and players compete to win a range of titles. International competitions also take place, attracting serious esports competitors from all over the world.
Building a career
As we have already seen, Finnish esports players have the potential to earn big money. Many young people who love nothing more than to spend hours gaming can now make a career out of it. It’s such serious business that even the Finnish government helps young people to make their way into the esports industry. This is a dynamic and ever-growing industry that seems to be taking the world by storm.
It seems that there’s a real opportunity in Finland for many gamers to make a career out of their hobbies and earn big bucks. What a time to be alive!
Esports academy
Finland’s government doesn’t just hold an esports tournament, they also offer youngsters the chance to attend an academy. This academy runs for four weeks during the summer months and encourages casual gamers as well as rising stars to do what they do best.
The academy’s instructors spend their days helping the attendees boost their knowledge of the industry while ensuring they hone their skills. This is indeed very serious business, more so than many people realize. For the full four weeks, attendees are encouraged to reach a more professional standard in the hope that they too can reach the big time.
While this four-week academy may seem quite intense, it’s something that a lot of gamers opt for. In just four weeks, they can move from an amateur to an upcoming professional. However, the work is hard and the hours are relentless. For huge fans of gaming, though, it can seem like a real labor of love.
Finnish colleges and esports
If the four-week academy did not surprise you, you might be surprised by what some Finnish colleges are offering. Some colleges in Finland now offer people the chance to study esports. So, not only can they spend hours in their homes playing their favorite games, they can also study the subject.
The college courses in question ensure that students get the mentoring and can use the tools they need to become elite, professional athletes. This is something that Finland seems very adept at producing.
So how do Finns compete in the international esports world? It appears they compete very well. Sooner or later, the Finns could become a real force to be reckoned with.
