For transparency: Esports News UK editor Dom Sacco used to work full-time for British Esports between September 2016 and February 2021, and currently does some freelance work for them, producing their weekly email newsletter
British Esports, the national body for esports in the UK, and the NSPCC, a UK children’s charity, have teamed up to run the inaugural Safeguarding in Esports Conference.
The hybrid in-person and virtual event has been set up ‘to help the esports sector set a new standard for safeguarding young people’.
It’s open for a range of visitors to attend, including esports organisations, streamers, tournament organisers, education stakeholders, traditional sports businesses, coaches, parents and more.
The NSPCC Safeguarding in Esports Conference is taking place on Friday February 9th 2024 at the Confetti X esports arena in Nottingham, and will support attendees to understand their safeguarding responsibilities and protect themselves and the individuals they work with.
“As part of our new partnership with the UK’s leading children’s charity, the NSPCC, we’re pleased to announce the Safeguarding in Esports Conference, a significant step towards the establishment of effective processes and practices for online safety and safeguarding in esports.”
Tom Dore, British Esports
The conference forms part of the NSPCC’s recently announced national Game Safe Festival happening from February 5th to 11th 2024. The festival includes the EA FC Game Safe Cup with Epic.LAN, NSE and SAF.
A keynote address at the Safeguarding in Esports Conference will be delivered by Sir Peter Wanless, CEO of the NSPCC, with additional presentations from Michelle North, Associate Head of the Child Protection in Sport Unit, amongst others.
Update: More speakers have been announced:
Tom Dore, Vice President at British Esports, said: “As part of our new partnership with the UK’s leading children’s charity, the NSPCC, we’re pleased to announce the Safeguarding in Esports Conference, a significant step towards the establishment of effective processes and practices for online safety and safeguarding in esports.
“As esports becomes ever more mainstream and appeals to a wider audience and a younger demographic, online safety and safeguarding must become a priority in order to protect everyone involved and provide a safe and secure environment. We’re proud to partner with the NSPCC to deliver the first safeguarding in esports conference of its kind. We look forward to welcoming everyone at this inaugural event.”
Lewie Procter, Head of Gaming Partnerships at the NSPCC, added: “This conference is a key part of the first, exciting adventure of ours into the world of gaming.
“At the NSPCC, we work tirelessly to protect children both in the physical and online world, and the NSPCC Safeguarding in Esports Conference is a way in which we can share those values with the world of esports, and celebrate our shared passion for gaming.
“This conference will help us to embed ourselves into this world and enable us to understand and move with the ever-changing technology of gaming, and better connect with gaming and Esports industry partners, with the goal of collaboratively advancing the cause of child safety.”
Tickets to the Safeguarding in Esports Conference are priced at £65 and are available here.
Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.
