What games should be reclassified as sports?

Strictly speaking, sports and games are entirely different. Games typically involve more than one person, while sports are defined by the skill-level and physical prowess that an individual has.

How do sports differ from games?

The line between sports and games has become blurred when one goes into the general characteristics of sports and games. For example, sports are played according to a specific set of rules. Sports can be enjoyed for competitive reasons on a professional basis, or on a recreational basis. The purpose of playing sports is typically to compete and to win, or simply to compete and to enjoy the experience. In games, similar objectives exist. Games can be enjoyed for recreational purposes, or for professional purposes – such as winning real money. Sports and games both rely upon rules and this is an intractable component of both. This begs the question --

How do you differentiate between sports and games?

Depending on whom you ask, sports may be considered ‘sports’ by dint of their physical nature. In other words, you’re physically competing with other athletes for a prize. Sports come in many different shapes and sizes including bowling, tennis, soccer, football, baseball, horse racing, car racing, motocross, and so forth. There is an argument that sports do not take place in a virtual world like many games can. If this distinction is to be drawn, it becomes clear that online games such as shooter games, adventure games, card games, table games, mind games, chess and others utilise the mental capacity of a player and not a player’s physical prowess. Strictly speaking, the definition of somebody who plays sport is not a game player, but a sportsperson. And likewise, somebody who plays games is not a sportsman, but a player. Words really matter when it comes to defining the differences between sports people and game players.

Are there hard and fast rules to distinguish between sports and games?

When games are considered, the general consensus is that teams of players are pitted against one another and the performance of the overall group determines the winner. In sports, it is typically the individual who performs with skills and physical attributes. However, if we are not discussing multiplayer games this is not necessarily true because there are games where single players compete against other players. One classic example is casino games where individuals play against other individuals, or the house, for maximum advantage. Poker players and blackjack players are perfect examples. The fact of the matter is that it all boils down to semantics. There is no rule that says sports are exclusively physical and games are exclusively mental – that’s a misconception.

Even the head of the IFP (International Federation of Poker), Patrick Nally, admits that poker is gaining mainstream acceptance as a mind sport. If we go the physical route, then we have to take into account the physical preparation that game players typically go through to get competition ready. The world’s top poker players readily admit to training their bodies and their minds in much the same way as competitive athletes do. While the actual gameplay is not physical, there are certainly many correlations in terms of mental fortitude. When we add a little more complexity into the mix such as the International Mind Sports Association (IMSA), the barriers become even more blurred. This organisation defines poker as a sport. Mental fatigue, physical exhaustion and intense competition characterise big money poker games too. But then, there’s the skill element. All sports require players to be skilled and so does poker. There are several other elements utilised by tournament poker players: diet, dexterity, meditation, rest, practice, physical exertion, relaxation, and hydration. The same techniques are used by poker players. As you can tell, it’s pretty difficult to distinguish between games and sports after all is said and done!