- Dedicated gaming and esports edition of DMCC's Future of Trade
report finds MENA gaming revenues to hit USD
6 billion in 2027
- Growth to be accelerated by sector-specific ecosystems in key
business hubs, demonstrating the importance of DMCC's Gaming Centre
to the region
- Advancements in technology, a wider and more inclusive user
base, and greater government backing are driving industry growth –
with the UAE, Saudi Arabia and
Egypt the top industry leaders in
the MENA region
- Full report can be downloaded here: www.futureoftrade.com
DUBAI, UAE, May 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Gaming
revenues are expected to almost double by 2027 from 2021 in the
Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, reaching
USD 6 billion, according to DMCC's
latest Future of Trade 2023 report titled 'Gaming in the
Middle East and North Africa (MENA): Geared for growth'. A
young and digital-savvy population, high levels of digital
connectivity, and government support are driving the region's
emergence as a consumer and creator hub.
Gaming and esports are both fast growing consumer segments,
benefiting from rapid advancements in technology as well as broader
and more inclusive audiences. The UAE and Saudi Arabia lead the region, supported by
high income levels, strong digital engagement, and public
investment initiatives. Globally, Asia
Pacific constitutes the largest market share and
China, the US, and Japan are the largest individual
markets.
The report gathers contributions from key industry leaders
including Jad El Mir, Partner at
Strategy&, and Klaus Kajetski, CEO and Founder of YaLLa
Esports, to establish the critical drivers of the industry's
accelerated growth in the MENA region and beyond. It also examines
the impact on gaming and esports from a technology, culture, and
business perspective, covering global consumer trends, the
emergence of MENA as a gaming and esports hub, and the key
challenges that the industry needs to address to increase revenues
further.
Guiding the global industry's accelerated growth from nearly
USD 200 billion in revenues in 2021
to USD 340 billion in 2027, the
report outlines a set of key recommendations for governments and
businesses, namely:
- Diversify esports revenue streams from sponsorship to new
direct-to-fan monetisation models – including digital
merchandising, loyalty programmes and training platforms for
amateur gamers – to boost revenues.
- Develop appropriate regulatory safeguards to ensure privacy,
security and safety online in the digital gaming ecosystem and
provide a business-friendly environment – including smoother visa
systems to allow esports professionals and audiences to attend live
events – to attract talent into the region and elevate it into a
global industry leader.
Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, DMCC, said: "Gaming has
come to the fore of entertainment globally, driving rapid growth
especially in the MENA region, which now constitutes 15% of the
global player base. The rise of gamification in areas such as
education, healthcare, and other sectors has demonstrated gaming's
role in facilitating economic activity more broadly. Ensuring the
accelerated growth of the gaming sector will have a measurable
impact on the future of markets around the world, as well as the
future of trade. As DMCC seeks to solidify Dubai's reputation as a global trade and
economic hub, efficiently activating opportunities within the
gaming sector will prove essential."
Among the most closely watched segments is esports, which is
expected to post revenue growth of 23.3% between 2019 and 2024 in
MENA. Fuelling this is the region's young demographic, engagement
from international broadcasters and sponsors, and government
support. Tapping into this economic potential, DMCC partnered with
YaLLa Esports, the Dubai-based
professional esports organisation, to launch the DMCC Gaming Centre
in December 2022. The Centre supports
the growth of the industry in Dubai by providing gaming businesses with
access to global capital, leading industry talent, and an ecosystem
that allows them to operate efficiently and with confidence.
Due to the UAE's strong business environment and infrastructure,
as well as its status as a gateway to the Middle East and Asia
Pacific regions, various international gaming developers
have set up their regional headquarters in the country. Ubisoft is
based in Abu Dhabi, while the
gaming giant Tencent set up its MENA
HQ in Dubai along with Riot Games.
In Saudi Arabia, the kingdom has
included gaming as a core element of its Neom project and has
already made investments worth over $1.7
billion on the gaming industry.
This special edition of DMCC's Future of Trade report follows
the launch of its flagship biennial report in July 2022, which set out the key drivers of
global trade over the next decade. The Future of Trade report
series has been downloaded and viewed a total of 1.3 million
times.
To read the full report by DMCC, please visit:
https://www.futureoftrade.com/
Media Enquiries:
DMCC
PR & Corporate
Communications
pr@dmcc.ae
About Future of Trade
The Future of Trade is DMCC's flagship report that explores the
changing nature of global trade. The 2022 edition of the report
examined the impact of geopolitics, technology, and global economic
trends on the future of trade, with a focus on trade growth, supply
chains, trade finance, infrastructure and sustainability.
This special gaming edition in 2023 studies the impact of the
gaming industry on trade and enterprise, highlighting the
staggering growth the industry is witnessing both globally and
across the MENA region, as well as the opportunities on offer for
international and local gaming businesses in Dubai.
To download the report, please visit:
https://www.futureoftrade.com/
About DMCC
Headquartered in Dubai, DMCC is
the world's most interconnected Free Zone, and the leading trade
and enterprise hub for commodities. Whether developing vibrant
neighbourhoods with world-class property like Jumeirah Lakes Towers
and the much-anticipated Uptown Dubai, or delivering high
performance business services, DMCC provides everything its dynamic
community needs to live, work and thrive. Made for Trade, DMCC is
proud to sustain and grow Dubai's
position as the place to be for global trade today and long into
the future. www.dmcc.ae
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