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Gaming has become a global phenomenon and is currently the most profitable form of entertainment worldwide, as the industry was valued at $347 billion last year.

Gaming offers huge financial rewards, and the industry is expected to reach $9.63 billion across the Middle East region by 2028. 

About 60% of the region’s population consider themselves to be gaming enthusiasts, accounting for half of gaming app downloads, more than the global average of 40%, the Boston Consulting Group said in its latest Game Changer report.

With the UAE at the forefront of the gaming industry in the Middle East with its governments recognizing the massive potential the growing market possesses, the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi has joined forces with Abu Dhabi Gaming (AD Gaming) to integrate the company into DCT Abu Dhabi’s fold. 

The aim is to bolster the country’s gaming and esports ecosystem. The collaboration will help position Abu Dhabi as a global gaming hub.

Founded in 2021, AD Gaming works towards transforming Abu Dhabi into a hub for gaming. Since then, it has become the largest concentration of gaming companies in the MENA region, with over 70 companies operating across every element of the gaming sector.

“As gaming grows in popularity worldwide, we are working to harness its potential to bolster the UAE’s journey towards economic diversification and innovation-driven growth. Bringing AD Gaming under the umbrella of DCT Abu Dhabi is the next step in that journey, adding a new dimension to our aspirations for creative industries,” said Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani, Undersecretary of the Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi.) 

James Hartt, Gaming and Digital Development Department Director of AD Gaming, added, “The gaming industry is growing faster in the MENA region than anywhere else in the world, and Abu Dhabi has a clear role in spearheading this growth.”

Moreover, as part of plans to establish a thriving gaming and esports ecosystem in the UAE capital, DCT Abu Dhabi unveiled plans to boost job creation in the ever-expanding e-gaming industry, with the positions distributed among more than 20 new companies.