The Danish government is backing esports in a big way, and has devised a national 'esports strategy' to help grow and legitimize the sport in the country. 

As reported by Motherboard, the Danish Ministry of Culture is keen to establish a "good framework" for esports that can be used to further develop the sport and facilitate growth. 

That means establishing an 'esports panel' to combat cheating and other illegal activities, and doing more to eradicate some of the negative stereotypes associated with competitive gaming. 

While esports has come a long way in a relatively short amount of time, it's notable to see the sport being nurtured on a national level by government officials and regulators. 

Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen fully supports the initiative, and shared his thoughts on esports when he kicked off the recent Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Blast Pro Series in Copenhagen. 

“Lots of youngsters are into gaming," he commented in a video taken at the event. "According to statistics, I think it’s 96 percent of all Danish boys [are] playing at least twice a week. And they are in the cellars and the rooms behind closed doors and parents are thinking, ‘What are they actually doing?’ 

"[Parents] can look at Astralis (the Denmark-based esports team) and see that gaming is about meeting people in real life. It’s about good sleeping habits [and] nutrition. It's about physical activity."