Hello Zig Forums. While we are all getting rich from chainlink, I have a question regarding some legal troubles a friend of mine might be overlooking.
My friend is genetically gifted at "X" video game (i will not reveal the video game). He is currently only 16, and qualified for the highest level tournament that the game offers. The thing is, you have to be 18 in all esports to compete, and he is using his friends ID and paypal for verification and prize winnings. What kind of legal troubles is he looking at if he wins a tournament for some 5 digit winnings, and they find out he was using a fake ID (real ID, but not him) and he is only 16? Disqualification? Banned from the games future tournaments? What about taxes? The IRS is just going to tax his friend?
It's his dream to be a pro in esports, and when I say he is actually genetically gifted enough to become a pro player I actually mean it (i've played video games my whole life with different friend groups, and he is better than me and anyone I have ever known at any game I have ever seen anyone be good at). But you can't be pro while underage.
It's just his name isn't out there and this is his first chance at a major tourney. And with coronavirus all of the esports tournaments are online right now instead of at events, so they won't "insta catch" that he's not 18.
He still is going to play in the tourney under the fake ID verification to get his name out there, but will this possibly lead to any legal trouble with the organization or the IRS?
Sorry if this is a corny ass question I just don't want to ask reddit, and I figure someone in here might know what happens if he manages to get a large prize winning while being underage.
He would be banned from all esports. Not to mention... a fake id would get all winning negated and is illegal even if he didn't purchase it. He is still using it.
He should be streaming and making money and waiting until he's 18.
Jacob Morgan
yeah but how would they catch him? If he looks vaguely like the ID picture theres no way anyone can prove it isnt him
Leo Murphy
yea this is what I fear will happen too. He doesn't really enjoy streaming when he does only I or a few people watch him. His talent for the game far exceeds any other redeeming quality that would make someone watch a stream. But you're right. Don't know how to help him cover his ass more.
if he wins 50 grand, there are going to be publicity. The whole point of esports is to advertise. You expect mass winning and not publishing info about him.
Charles Lopez
The thing is we are talking about fraud. There is no coming back from that.
Wyatt Perry
Hard to say without knowing the game for sure but banning would be very likely which would ruin any future in competitive playing. And yes the friend would get taxed are you retarded?
John Thomas
is it minecraft? its minecraft I bet
Xavier Williams
Can only help if you tell me the game, there are lots of csgo pros under 18 and overwatch (i know its not esport ..)
Logan Cooper
Yea his current mindset is "My name isn't out there and I need to get noticed in the scene to go pro. But I cannot get noticed unless I play against actual pros and they want to sign me. So I am going to play in this tournament and even if they figure out i'm only 16 people will instantly want to sign me when I turn 18."
It just seems like if they actually win the whole thing (they probably won't since these pros have been playing for years, but they could!) then there is no way he doesn't get caught and potentially fucked hard.
of course he will be in trouble. since he's not 18 there is no way he will be able to collect any money. his friend can't just collect it for him, he will have to provide security number, bank details, etc.
there are other ways to get known if you're talented. if he's winning he should lose on purpose so he doesn't collect any money.
Jose Richardson
by lying he puts the league/organizers in trouble since they are not allowed to have minors. they will not be amused by that and may ban him for life.
Sebastian Powell
Look if he is really that good then he should start streaming and building an audience/monetization platform for when he is old enough to actually compete. Without a doubt, he will have a chance to get signed and play in the major tourneys but if he blows it all now just because he doesn't want to wait then he is putting his future in jeopardy.
Even if this was traditional sports he would run the same risk and getting himself potentially locked out of major e-sports platforms is not wise in the long run. He can just use this time now to build a brand around himself and to build awareness of his abilities so that when he is old enough, he will be a shoe-in to get signed by a major e-sports org.
Not that I am asking for sepcifics here but does he have a youtube or twitch at least? If he doesn't he really should start putting his highlights up at least. If he does, then he should put his efforts into that wholeheartedly and focus on that in order to prep himself for that type of exposure later on.
Andrew Cruz
It's actually the academy league not the highest league but it's still considered a "Major" tournament with high winnings on the line.
He does have a stream but he doesn't really stream much and he doesn't have any real "brand" around himself. I agree that he would make it if he was just patient and streamed the whole next year. But he is insisting on playing on this academy team when he's not supposed to. I agree with the general consensus in here that it will probably bite him in the ass if he plays in this tourney.
That is not a logical mindset. It is a mindset of a 16 yo. Its his life but if he necks himself, don't say we didn't warn him and don't think there is nothing you could have done.
Mason Richardson
I agree pro players =/= streamers.
It doesn't make them wrong that it's what he should be trying to do, but you're still right too.
esports and "streaming" are a plague to video games and all youth around the world.
Isaac Williams
well i have put thousands of hours into the same game as him and have played with many others who take it just as seriously as him (including myself), and there is simply an edge he has that others do not have. Talent, I would call it no other term. To be genetically gifted at something can entail many different things. Sorry you haven't found yours yet/you're average as fuck.
If he was actually good why hasnt an org signed him?
Austin Bell
He's just a random, none of the higher ups or famous pros know of his existence. Hence why he is so inclined to play in this tourney to get noticed, even though he's not supposed to. He just has that young passion and skill at the game that the oldheads start to lose after years of winning.
No esports require 18. If he was as good as you say he would have been noticed. Did you even click the link I posted.
Mason Collins
that doesnt make sense. This kid is good enough to win tourneys but hasnt been recognized by any of his peers.
Bentley Nguyen
too high risk, make him stream instead.
Oliver Hill
Could work if you are willing to get a real new identity. Serious stuff in that direction starts around 50k, 25k if you are fine with eastern European identity
Jackson Rogers
actually, hire a lawyer, there might be something we are overlooking.
