Terms & Conditions

Last Updated: January 2026

Welcome to the Australian Esports League (“AEL”). By accessing our website, registering a school, or participating in any AEL tournament, league, or event, you agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions.

Definitions

• “AEL”, “We”, “Us”: Refers to the Australian Esports League (owned and operated by Critical Hit Entertainment Pty Ltd).

• “Participant”: Any student, player, or team member competing in an AEL event.

• “School Representative”: The teacher, coordinator, or administrator registering teams on behalf of a school.

• “Services”: The organisation and administration of esports leagues, tournaments, and events.

1. The Code of Conduct (Esports Australia)

The AEL adheres to the national integrity frameworks. The AEL Code of Conduct adopts and aligns with the Esports Australia Code of Conduct.

• 1.1 Alignment: By participating in the AEL, you agree to be bound by the standards of behavior, integrity, and fair play outlined by Esports Australia.

• 1.2 Jurisdiction: Disciplinary actions (bans/suspensions) issued by AEL may be recognised by other tournament operators and the national body.

• 1.3 Zero Tolerance: We enforce strict penalties for toxicity, hate speech, harassment, and discrimination.

2. Eligibility by Category

• 2.1 School Competitions: Participants must be currently enrolled students. Registration must be endorsed by a School Representative (Teacher).

• 2.2 University Competitions: Participants must be currently enrolled students at a tertiary institution. “Alumni” or “Community” teams are only permitted in specific open tournaments where explicitly stated.

• 2.3 Public Events & Activations: For pop-up events (e.g., at Comic Con), entry is subject to the venue’s conditions of entry. Minors may require a parent/guardian to be present to compete for prizes.

3. Supervision & Safety

• Schools: Teachers are responsible for supervising their students during matches.

• Universities & Adults: Adult participants are responsible for their own conduct and safety.

• Minors at Public Events: AEL staff provide general event coordination, but we do not provide “child minding” services at public conventions. Parents remain responsible for their children at all times.

4. Cheating & Fair Play

The use of third-party hacks, scripts, or “smurfing” (playing on an account with a false skill rating) is prohibited. AEL reserves the right to disqualify any player or team suspected of compromising competitive integrity.

5. Media & Broadcast License

You grant AEL a perpetual, royalty-free license to broadcast your gameplay, voice (in-game comms), and likeness. You acknowledge that live streams cannot be edited or retracted once aired.

6. Technical Liability

AEL is not liable for match outcomes affected by:

• School or University firewalls blocking game services.

• Personal internet outages or hardware failures.

• Third-party game server updates or downtime.

7. Cancellations & Refunds

• Leagues: Full refunds are available if a team withdraws 14 days prior to the season start. No refunds are available after this date.

• Ticketed Events: Refunds are provided only if the event is cancelled by AEL, in accordance with Australian Consumer Law.

8. Limitation of Liability

Participation is at your own risk. To the extent permitted by law, AEL is not liable for any personal injury, property damage, or financial loss arising from your participation in our events, whether online or in-person.

9. Intellectual Property & Website Use

• Ownership: The AEL website, logo, and all original content are the property of Critical Hit Entertainment Pty Ltd and are protected by Australian copyright laws.

• Limited License: You are granted a limited license to access and use the site for personal or school-related purposes. You may not reproduce, duplicate, copy, sell, or exploit any portion of the Service without express written permission.

• Prohibited Use: You must not use the website to transmit malware, scrape data, or harass other users.

10. Contact

For disputes, rule clarifications, or general enquiries, please contact us:

• Email: info@ael.org.au

• Support Ticket: Via the Official AEL Discord.