Dubai is going all out to boost its esports sector, in a bid to strengthen its digital economy.
Recently, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai, took to X to announce the Dubai Programme for Gaming 2033 initiative.
The aim of the initiative is to transform Dubai into one of the top ten cities in the global esports industry. It’ll do so with the help of 30,000 new jobs in the sector in the next 10 years. In the process the initiative looks to boost the sector’s contribution to the emirate’s gross domestic product by nearly $1 billion by 2033.
Read: Sports in Saudi an economic diversification playbook
The initiative, which will be under the supervision of the Dubai Future Foundation, will support gaming developers, and designers. Furthermore, it’ll also build the ecosystem by encouraging startups in the sector.
“Dubai will strive to be the most digitally advanced city in the world,” affirms the crown prince in his post.
Growing esports market
Kishan Deepak Palija, Chief Executive Officer, Geekay Group, a video games solution provider in Dubai, welcomes the development. In his Linkedin post, he writes that the interest in gaming has grown massively in the region, with Saudi Arabia being at the forefront in terms of esports and e-gaming events.
According to the MENA E-Gaming Market report by UnivDatos Market Insights, the MENA esports market was valued at $5,670.9 million in 2022 and is expected to grow at a strong CAGR of around 21.1% between 2023-2030.
Agreeing with Palija’s assessment, the report says MENA has emerged as an esports hub. It hosts both regional and international esports competitions, and attracts players and enthusiasts from around the world.
Read: Saudi Crown Prince launches Esports World Cup
One of the notable events it specifically points to is the 2019 edition of the Global Gaming Expo. Hosted in Dubai, this event further solidified Dubai’s position as a prominent player in the esports arena.
Furthermore, the UAE also has state-of-the-art e-gaming infrastructure, including gaming-themed entertainment parks, and dedicated esports arenas. As per the report, venues such as these provide a platform for local gamers to hone their skills. Additionally, they also attract international e-gaming events and competitions.
Government support
Besides the infrastructure, UnivDatos argues it is the government’s recognition of the importance of the industry that’s propelling the growth of esports in the UAE.
For instance, you can trace the first gaming-specific move by the government back to almost a decade. That’s when UAE established the Emirates Esports Association (EEA), becoming the first gulf state to do so.
EEA is the national esports governing body. It is also the only authority for all matters of esports and gaming for the UAE. It’s also a member of the UAE national olympic committee.
Mykola Pirozhenko, chief commercial officer (CCO) of gaming streaming platform Kudos.tv believes that such legislative moves are positive and necessary for the gaming sector.
Read: Saudi gaming sector eyes over $13 billion phttps://kudos.tv/rofit
Referring to other such initiatives by the UK and the US, he says that they help smaller game developers by reducing development costs and fostering innovation. This levels the playing field and allows them to compete more effectively with the larger players in the industry.
“Legislative support not only validates the [esports] industry but also provides the foundational support it needs to thrive beyond its current ‘wild’ state, where it often operates without the safety nets present in other sectors,” says Pirozhenko.
Pirozhenko also welcomes the fact that talent development is part of the initiative, calling it “not just forward-thinking but essential.” He believes that this ensures the e-gaming industry is nurtured to thrive, leveraging its inherent capacity for sustainable growth.
For more tech news, click here.
