The Rise Of eSports In The Middle East

Started as amateur pursuits, eSports are currently too popular to ignore: they are part of the general culture in many countries. However, not all places on the planet seem to offer a fertile ground for eSports to grow larger and involve more viewers.

Esports And The Arab eSports Movement

If you are new to the world of eSports, know that these electronic sports consist of competitive multiplayer videogame tournaments. Each tournament consists of several competitions with either individual players or teams performing in the matches. As you can see, eSports gain a place halfway between the video gaming culture and the traditional sports culture.

The eSports mania started as an amateur pursuit, but it became a relevant reality after the 2000s following the leading example of South Korea and China. ESports rose in Russia, North America, Europe, India until they landed in the MENA region. In particular, Arab-speaking countries stand out in the new eSports industry for the high amounts of money they invest and the large volume of online bets on eSports tournaments.

ESports aren't the only target for online real-money betting: real-life traditional sports events still cover a significant share of the global betting market. The quality and reliability of online Arabic bookmarkers are outstanding and even recognized by overseas pro sports gamblers. If you want to place a bet on eSports, you can easily access A7Labet and pick their preferred betting options. The rapid rise of eSports reveals the high-level familiarity of Arab users with internet-based resources for gaming and their interest in sports and competitions.

That's why some market experts call the rise of eSports in the MENA region Arab eSports movement. However, eSports aren't diffused all through the region at the same level. Saaed Sharaf is the founder of eSports Middle East and CEO of the Syrian eSports Association: he says that most North African users access eSports from PC. On the other hand, users in the Gulf area prefer to play console games. In general, users in the MENA region play different games: PUBG and League of Legends are most played in North Africa, while Gulf users are more passionate about Overwatch, FIFA, and Fortnite. Another big difference between these two areas in the MENA region is the organization of eSports. North African users tend to take part in tournaments independently, while Gulf players join a well-structured environment.

Growth of eSports In The UAE

Beyond huge investments and a government-driven setting, eSports are experiencing impressive growth in the MENA region because of the pandemic. The gaming market is having a high and unstopped rise as people can't practice land-based sports anymore.

Several gaming vendors in the region say that there's a higher demand for eSports games than in the past years, which is a sign that something is changing in the market. In particular, the UAE is where eSports proliferate better and faster, probably due to the high level of internet penetration in people's everyday life. One of the most significant forecasts suggests that average eSports players in the UAE will spend at least $115 per year in the next five years. That's why the UAE government is investing billions of dollars in theme parks and other venues where eSports players can access the games or take part in the competitions.

Considering that about 70% of UAE's population is below 30 years, the entire business will potentially involve about 20 million people.

Esports Betting In The Market Panorama Of The MENA Region

When it comes to eSports, the quality of betting platforms plays a relevant role. People love following their favorite electronic sports matches and placing a bet on the teams they support. You can see a quick overview of the Top Esports Gamers for regions.

Not second to any other place, the countries in the MENA region are seriously investing in new platforms for supporting the high volume of bets on eSports events. Activision (the Saudi Telecom Company) has already introduced dedicated servers in Jeddah and Riyadh for Call of Duty. On the other hand, Riot Games is supporting League of Legends. Kuwaiti Zain Group created a new eSports brand reaching 50 million customers in the MENA region. Probably, the project of a new eSports stadium in Dubai overcomes average gamers' expectations.

The immense amount of money invested in all these projects is a new motivational input for millions of active gamers all through the MENA region. It also corresponds to the fast and unparalleled growth of the eSports industry in this large area of the world, which attracts many investors and contributes to expanding the eSports circuit.