Summary

The gaming industry is expanding in the UAE, with increased interest and investment in developing homegrown talent and games. In terms of spending, it is a very diverse region. The average gamer in the country is expected to spend around USD 115 per year on gaming. In the online population, 70% of women and 74% of men play mobile games, 49% of women and 64% of men play console games, and 54% of women and 63% of men play PC games. Smartphone gaming has grown in popularity over the last few years. In the United Arab Emirates, mobile gamers spend an average of 20 to 40 minutes per day playing video games. This rising demand for mobile games is directly related to technological advancements such as augmented reality, virtual reality, cloud gaming, and 5G. This is not surprising given that the mobile game industry is heavily reliant on new technology. Another market trend is the rise of the hyper-casual game genre. Over 600 students from 12 Dubai schools took part in the Minecraft Esports Schools Clash. Another event, the Gamers HUB ME Regional Online Tournament, drew nearly 1,800 participants. Participants competed for a share of the AED22,000 (US$5,988) prize pool by playing popular video games such as Fortnite, FIFA 23, and others.

According to the research report "United Arab Emirates eSports Market Overview, 2028," published by Bonafide Research, the market is expected to add USD 17.58 million by 2028.Streaming is expected to dominate the segment share during the forecast period. The growing emphasis on fan engagement is likely to fuel demand for live sports events. Furthermore, the rise in smart phone users is expected to fuel demand for live sports tournaments. Media rights are making a significant contribution to the country's esports industry. Fans can now track live esports activity across the country thanks to easy access to communication technology. Media companies pay exorbitant fees to win the exclusive rights to broadcast live streaming of major sporting events. In recent years, the sale of broadcasting and media rights has been the most important source of revenue for most esports organizers. The revenue generated by the sale of media rights is used to fund major sporting events, renovate stadiums, and contribute to the grassroots development of esports. During the forecast period, sponsorship is expected to grow rapidly, followed by advertising. As the number of viewers grows, the sponsoring team invests in the platform to strengthen its brand image. Similarly, various gaming platforms include in-app advertisements to boost revenue generation.

There have been 175 esports players from the United Arab Emirates that have been awarded a total of $496,973.01 USD in prize money across 167 tournaments. The highest-paying game was Fortnite, with $161,922.42 USD won, accounting for 32.58% of all earnings by UAE players. Amjad "Angry Bird" Alshalabi is the highest earning player from the United Arab Emirates with $32,404.71 USD in prize money won overall, with $23,416.72 USD, or 72.26%, won from playing in Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition tournaments. Some of the top esports games are Fortnite, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition, Overwatch, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds Mobile, League of Legends, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, FIFA 22, Street Fighter V: Champion Edition, Apex Legends, and many more. There are some top players: Amjad Al-Shalabi, Obaid Al-Muhairi, Abdulaziz Ibrahim, Ahmed Alzaabi, Mohamed Al-Nuaimi, Ali Hamoodi, Aaron Williams, and many more. There are some top tournaments: The tournaments are FNCS: Chapter 3 Season 1: Grand Finals: Middle East, The Nexus Arabia 2019 Main Event, Overwatch Saudi Regional Tournament, MPL MENA Spring 2022, and Extreme ZOWIE Asia. FNCS: Chapter 2 Season 1 - Grand Finals: Middle East, Africa, and West Asia, Mother of the Nation Festival - Fortnite Tournament, Conquerors Insignia 2019, and many more.

The PUBG World Championship 2022, the Initiate Summit, and the Minecraft Esports Schools Clash were among the festival's highlights. Simultaneously, Game Expo, an event highlighting the best games and innovations in the video game space, was taking place. Dubai Esports Festival (DEF2022), hosted by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) in collaboration with VSPN, takes place from the 9th to the 20th of November and celebrates the love of video games with the goal of setting the trend for the region's gaming industry and bolstering Dubai's position as a global hub for esports and interactive tech-driven entertainment, as well as a global city at the forefront of innovation. The annual festival will be the first international leisure event to be held at Expo City Dubai's Dubai Exhibition Center. The inaugural DEF 2022 will feature a combination of competitive esports tournaments, including the PUBG Global Championship, a school tournament for students, a live concert, an immersive gaming experience, as well as industry networking events for domestic, regional, and international stakeholders and partners. Some ticket options for Dubai eSports Festival include: school kids pass (AED 50) for November 10th and 11th, one-day kids pass (AED 50), one-day pass (AED 139), four-day pass (AED 249), one-day family pack (AED 399), four-day family pack (AED 699), VIP ticket (AED 500) - includes four-day entry, fast track access for badge collection and Meet the Heroes, 1x autograph OR photograph voucher,VIP Ticket (AED 3,500): Includes four-day entry and complimentary early delivery of the VIP Pack with a badge and merchandise. Meet the Heroes fast track access, 7x autograph OR photograph vouchers, 5x private celebrity meet and greet sessions, Mainstage Golden Circle access, and exclusive PopConME merchandise.

ESports is a fast-growing market within the world of gaming, mainly driven by increasing digitalization, the growing use of smart phones, and rising awareness of gaming. Faster and better technology is opening up new opportunities, and the COVID-19 pandemic has been fueling the demand for eSports. The market is expected to grow steadily as more teams, tournaments, and companies form, creating a broad platform for sponsorship and advertisement. Due to the rising number of live-stream viewers and greater profitability, both the prize money from tournaments and the amount of money invested in different teams are projected to increase.

Health and Addiction Concerns for eSports Impede the Market's Growth Gamers may experience metabolic disorders resulting from light-emitting diode computer monitors and psychological problems related to gambling addiction and social behaviour disorders. The health effects of electronic sports players have been studied, and it was discovered that they are more likely to suffer musculoskeletal injuries in the back, neck, and upper extremities. In addition, spending excessive time in front of a computer monitor can cause metabolic disorders. Most of these issues arise from sedentary lifestyles and poor posture, which are common among these players. Furthermore, the introduction of electronic sports college scholarships is a source of concern, as young people can now justify their excessive use of games as being the next electronic sports stars, even if their chances of becoming the one are extremely slim.

Considered in this report
• Geography: United Arab Emirates Market
• Historic year: 2017
• Base year: 2022
• Estimated year: 2023
• Forecast year: 2028

Aspects covered in this report
• United Arab Emirates esport market with its value and forecast along with its segments
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

By Revenue Streams:
• Sponsorship
• Media Rights
• Merchandise & Tickets
• Publisher Fees
• Digital
• Streaming

By Device Type:
• Mobile (Smartphone, Tablet)
• PC (Laptop, Desktop)
• Gaming Device (Console, Handheld Devices)
• Other (VR, Smart TV, etc.)

The approach of the report:
This report consists of a combined approach of primary as well as secondary research. Initially, secondary research was used to get an understanding of the market and list out the companies that are present in the market. The secondary research consists of third-party sources such as press releases, and annual reports of companies, analyzing the government-generated reports and databases. After gathering the data from secondary sources primary research was conducted by making telephonic interviews with the leading players about how the market is functioning and then conducting trade calls with dealers and distributors of the market. Post this we have started doing primary calls to consumers by equally segmenting consumers into regional aspects, tier aspects, age groups, and gender. Once we have primary data with us we started verifying the details obtained from secondary sources.

Intended audience
This report can be useful to industry consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, associations & organizations related to the esport industry, government bodies, and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing & presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.