Singapore’s eSports industry has grown to become a very prominent financial arena. The government has recognized the potential in the industry and is actively supporting its growth so more local tournaments are sponsored by the government in order to get more and more gamers interested in gaming professionally. 

Help has come by boosting the strength of their internet connectivity to allow for strong connections even during peak hours. Due to their government’s support and the high revenue reaching almost SGD 130 million, it is no wonder the country has participated in and hosted many high-profile eSports tournaments. While the industry is up and coming, eSports players don’t all earn the same amount of money, and not all players can survive solely on what they make in eSports—although many already do. 

Prominent eSports that are officially recognized in Singapore are video games like League of Legends and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Other competitive forms of gaming like online gambling tournaments are not as popular in Singapore due to ethical and legal challenges. The community in Singapore isn’t very supportive of so-called SG online casinos as yet, despite the generous bonuses, fast payouts, and extensive game libraries they offer local players. According to gambling expert James Fuller, despite Singapore Pools having a monopoly on regulated online gambling in the country, gamblers there can still access and play on these platforms via offshore sites.  

Despite most choosing to engage in video games and eSports of that nature over online gambling, the iGaming industry is slowly expanding in Singapore too, meaning one day live tournaments may soon become a norm there too. As a result, real eSports earnings are still only available in the video game genre in Singapore while making money from gambling remains a private affair.

For the top eSports players, gamers who excel and rank high in the more popular games like League of Legends or Mobile Legends: Bang Bang are ranked as tier 1 gamers and are the ones most likely to earn substantial incomes. These top-tier gamers can earn salaries ranging from a few thousand to tens of thousands of Singapore dollars (SGD) each month. The highest-earning player in Singapore in 2023 was Wang Jing Jie. He earned almost USD120,000 in 2023, a very significant amount. 

Earnings rely on player performance as well as the reliability of the teams they are on. Most tournaments that take place have very significant prizes on offer which means that the winning teams will have a substantial share for each player while the lower prizes are usually better geared toward team funds or being used to buy better equipment. 

For high-ranking players, sponsorships and endorsements are a very significant source of revenue. Partnerships allow players to monetize their popularity—meaning that they can earn based on how many people buy a product endorsed by them or play a game they are endorsing. Some gaming teams are sponsored together. A brand will choose to have the whole team endorsing them. 

The brand will be on display everywhere the team goes, on the team’s social media, and the team’s uniforms. Other brands choose to endorse or sponsor a single player who is doing better than the rest. They could sponsor equipment, gaming gadgets, and any game-related thing. The sponsorship allows the player to earn as well, maybe on top of their earnings from the games themselves. 

Players who create gaming content like streaming live games or creating videos about the game with commentary or whatever else also partner with brands, promoting their products or services, and can earn that way. Amateur and semi-professional players don’t earn a lot and often, they hardly earn anything at all. Many eSports players in Singapore fall under this bracket, earning very little and only competing in local tournaments or local online leagues. 

Prizes at this level are always significantly smaller but winning consistently can create a moderate income for the players or the team as a whole. Many gamers in Singapore aren’t able to sustain themselves this way and they choose to limit their gaming to a time after their day job or they freelance with something else in order to stay afloat. 

The earning potential and success of eSports players in Singapore are diverse and depend on each player’s skill and marketability. While top-tier professionals can enjoy lucrative careers without the need for an online presence, the majority of players rely on a combination of prize money, sponsorships, and other income sources, as well as internet fame, to sustain their passion. Aspiring eSports players in Singapore will need to focus on developing their skills while they maintain their main source of revenue until a steady income can be made off of gaming. 

They should also start building a strong online presence and gain some form of popularity online in order to lure in sponsors and endorsements. It is also important that players understand the legal and ethical implications of the gaming industry—staying above board and not engaging in any criminal activity that might cost them their endorsements. 

The country’s support in setting up the necessary infrastructure is a key advantage to Singapore gamers. At their fingertips, they boast the fastest fixed internet connection speed (200.1Mbps), as well as the biggest gaming and eCommerce company known as SEA Games which is constantly recruiting and endorsing players in Singapore. The earning potential for gamers in Singapore is very high and any up-and-coming player stands a chance to make it to the top.