Saudi Arabia set out to become a major player in the gaming industry and muscled its way to the top via ambitious investments under its Vision 2030 mandate.
Just three years into implementing its national gaming and eSports strategy, Saudi Arabia has become the clear leader in the Middle East and North Africa region.
The Kingdom accounted for one-fifth of gaming revenues coming into the region and generated $1.2 billion in 2024 alone. Experts predict that Saudi Arabia will hit $1.64bn by 2028.
How Is Saudi Arabia Using UK Expertise to Fuel Its Gaming Ambitions?
UK Expertise Driving Saudi Expansion
The recent partnership between Savvy Games Group and Territory Studio is an exciting example of Saudi Arabia tapping into global expertise to boost its gaming ambitions.
Based in the United Kingdom (UK), Territory will open a Riyadh hub in 2025 to support game developers with co-development, trailers, cinematics and UX/UI.
While many people may be tempted to think the facility in Riyadh is just an overseas office, it will serve as a bridge between the Saudi talent base and the global gaming industry.
Savvy needs partnerships of this nature to accelerate knowledge transfer. It will provide training for local talent while bringing international creative standards into the Saudi Arabian gaming ecosystem.
The partnership will improve Saudi expertise while signalling to the global market that the Kingdom is ready to operate at the very highest levels of the gaming stratosphere.
Saudi Arabia’s Rapid Progress
Revenues in gaming have already outpaced film, live sports and music on the global scene. The industry is on course to hit $435bn by 2030.
Saudi Arabia wanted a piece of the pie and brought itself into the picture by investing heavily, shelling out mouth-watering sums that turned heads in the industry.
They spent $4.9bn to purchase mobile games developer Scopely, which was a brilliant move. Scopely’s Monopoly Go! was one of the breakout titles of 2024, raking in $3bn and claiming honours for Game of the Year.
Investments have also been made in Embracer Group, Hero eSports, Griffin Gaming Partners and ESL FACEIT Group, increasing Saudi influence in the sector.
Saudi Arabia is also making moves domestically, establishing the National Gaming and eSports Strategy, which is expected to create 39,000 jobs and establish 250 gaming companies by 2030.
Riyadh hosted the first-ever edition of the eSports World Cup in 2024, launching the tournament with a $60 million prize pool. They increased the pot to $70m this year.
The subsequent ripple from the tournament was felt elsewhere. Intriguingly, the betting industry benefited, despite the traditional resistance to such practices in the region.
The reputable sportsbooks featured on comparison website arabswin.com/en/ allowed punters to wager on their favourite eSports teams and players.
The Saudis’ growing involvement in gaming will likely accelerate demands for the country to establish a formal regulatory organisation to oversee betting in the future.
Gaming & the Gambling Question
Gaming has played a central role in Saudi Arabia’s recent transformation. Saudi-owned Team Falcons have been doing the country proud, performing well in numerous international tournaments.
The eSports World Cup has been a vital tool for recruiting talent and a cornerstone of the Vision 2030 diversification strategy.
The betting interest in the event raised an important question about whether Saudi Arabia’s involvement in eSports could eventually open the door for regulated online gambling.
Although eSports has been framed as a cultural, economic and technological initiative designed to engage young people, the influence of betting cannot be ignored.
Most top betting operators now have dedicated eSports markets. Wagering on outcomes in eSports leagues and tournaments is a growing sector of global online gambling.
Final Thoughts
Saudi Arabia has always been apprehensive towards gambling due to its religious and conservative principles. However, with the country looking to rub shoulders with more liberal nations, the pressure is on the Saudi government to reconsider its stance.
There are obvious economic incentives, as online gambling generates significant tax revenues for countries where it is licensed and regulated.
