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DMCC Publishes Latest “Future of Trade” Report on Gaming and Esports
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 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.
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The future of safer gambling: The power of advanced monitoring systems and data-driven strategies to monitor player safety
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SkillOnNet Safer Gambling and AML Risk team manager Loizos Theodosiadis on using behavioural tracking systems and analytics to enable proactive risk management.
The future of safer gambling is rooted in predictive analytics and personalised protection. At SkillOnNet, we identify risks of gambling-related harm through both proprietary and third-party software. The third-party system, developed by Neccton and called the MENTOR player-tracking system, enables early detection of behavioural risk long before issues manifest.
These systems analyse vast amounts of data to identify subtle behavioural changes, enabling us to intervene proactively. As I often say, the most exciting developments are around predictive analytics and personalised protection. We’re working on better behavioural modelling to spot risks even earlier and guide players towards sustainable behaviour based on actual patterns, not fixed limits.
Our platform, incorporating Neccton’s system, exemplifies this approach. It continuously monitors player behaviour, flags higher-risk activities, and provides real-time alerts through popups, messages, and dashboards. This allows our teams to act swiftly, offering support or guidance precisely when it’s needed most. Automation supports us by supporting the players, delivering tailored messages about long sessions or risky spending habits.
This move towards personalised, behaviour-based interventions marks a significant shift from traditional, one-size-fits-all thresholds. The future of safer gambling tools lies in advanced monitoring systems and data-driven behavioural analysis profiling players.
Safer Gambling Week and the Role of Industry Collaboration
I believe that Safer Gambling Week is really important. It gives everyone in the industry a chance to pause and focus on the same priority, keeping players safe. We talk about safer gambling all year, but the week helps us amplify everything.
As well as just bringing together our own brands such as Slingo, the official site for Slingo games, and Spin Genie, a leading slots casino in the UK.
Throughout the year, our commitment doesn’t waver, but the week serves as a catalyst for greater awareness and collaboration. It’s an opportunity to reinforce that safer gambling should be a normal, embedded part of our operations and not just a regulatory checkbox. Creating an environment where players feel supported, informed, and empowered is fundamental.
Responsibility is at the core of everything we do. We believe that what sets us apart is how proactive we try to be. We don’t rely on generic thresholds; we focus on behaviour, spotting subtle changes, and acting early even before anything becomes obvious. This proactive stance involves significant investment in staff training, leveraging technology, and fostering a culture of empathy and care.
Our teams are trained to recognise behavioral cues whether in retail or digital environments – such as agitation, long play sessions, or mood swings. With Genting Casino for example, we use algorithms to identify risky behaviours early. Both environments present risks; the key is awareness, communication, and a duty of care. GentingCasino.com offers a premier gaming experience with top-tier slots and we want to offer top-tier player safety.
This proactive approach ensures that support is delivered before problems escalate, emphasising early detection and compassionate intervention. Our strategy is built on the understanding that safer gambling is discussed at senior levels and built into our strategy, not just treated as an add-on, reinforcing a genuine cultural shift within our organisation.
Strengthening Governance and Industry Standards
As online gambling becomes more accessible, I advocate for stronger governance frameworks to protect players effectively. Online environments have more accessibility, so we need a stronger governance framework. Retail needs trained professionals who understand behavioural cues.
I support the implementation of industry-wide standards for affordability and financial risk checks. I support an industry-wide standard for affordability and financial risk checks – applied consistently across all operators. It requires government clarity, data sharing standards, and a balance between consumer rights and harm prevention. Consistent application of these standards, combined with data sharing and regulatory clarity, will ensure that safer gambling practices are effective, fair, and respectful of players’ privacy.
The Ongoing Journey for Operators
While our industry has made significant progress, I believe the journey is ongoing. The industry is on a journey. Many operators, including us, are genuinely committed to embedding safer gambling into their culture. While responses have been reactive in the past, that’s changing.
Today, safer gambling is recognised as a core business priority – about sustainable play, long-term loyalty, and safeguarding reputation. Safer gambling is now a core business priority – about sustainable play, long-term loyalty, and reputation. As we look to the future, I am confident that companies investing early and embracing transparency will set the standard, shaping a healthier and more responsible industry.
SkillOnNet is a leading casino operator that offers a diverse range of online gaming brands. They offer cutting-edge technology, premium content and solutions for some of the industry’s most recognisable names.
They operate a wide range of successful brands including premium online GentingCasino.com, Prime Casino who offer a diverse selection of games as well as Slingo who offer a premium Bingo experience.
Throughout its extensive game catalogue from top-tier developers, SkillOnNet ensures players enjoy a safe, engaging and entertaining environment. They continue to lead the market with its flexible platform, localise expertise and strategic partnerships to offer best-in-class casino entertainment.
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Room 8 Group partners with Pragma to strengthen online game development capabilities
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Room 8 Group, an end-to-end strategic partner in external game development, has announced a partnership with Pragma, a company providing tools that help studios build online games faster, connect with players, and grow their communities.
This partnership enables Room 8 Group to integrate Pragma Platform, the game industry’s leading backend solution for connected games. Pragma delivers a comprehensive suite of cross-platform services, including authentication, social, commerce, player data, matchmaking, and telemetry, empowering developers to manage every stage of a game’s lifecycle, from launch to live ops and growth.
Room 8 Group always takes a consultative approach to co-development – making every technical decision based on what brings the greatest value and efficiency to the client, rather than relying on predefined service offerings.
“We partner with leading technology providers to ensure our clients have access to the most effective solutions. Pragma’s platform brings clear benefits in scalability and player engagement, and we see real potential in implementing it within future projects.”
Anna Kozlova, CEO at Room 8 Group.
As online functionality and live services have become a part of many modern games, Room 8 Group continuously explores new tools that reduce time-consuming and costly custom development while preserving each game’s unique character.
“Room 8 Group’s deep technical expertise and proven ability to integrate our solutions across different client needs and technology stacks makes them an ideal partner for Pragma. Together, we’re enabling studios to deliver connected, high-quality gaming experiences faster, more efficiently, and at greater scale.”
Eden Chen, CEO at Pragma
Together, Pragma and Room 8 Group are building the infrastructure that helps studios ship faster, operate smarter, and deliver better player experiences.
The post Room 8 Group partners with Pragma to strengthen online game development capabilities appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Continent 8 promotes David Brace to Executive Team
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Continent 8 Technologies, a leading provider of cutting-edge managed IT solutions designed for the global iGaming and online sports betting industry, announces the promotion of David Brace to its executive leadership team.
In his new role, Brace will serve as practice lead for AWS solutions, spearheading the company’s continued expansion and innovation within the Amazon Web Services (AWS) ecosystem.
The news follows Continent 8’s selection as an official AWS Solution Provider under the Solution Provider Program (SPP). This has enabled Continent 8 to augment its AWS portfolio, including Managed AWS Workloads, Managed Hybrid Network and AWS Cloud Migration.
Michael Tobin, CEO and Founder at Continent 8 Technologies, said: “Over the past eight years at Continent 8, David has consistently demonstrated a deep and nuanced understanding of technology, infrastructure, and the regulatory landscape – both on industry panels and directly with our customers. His expertise is widely respected, and this promotion is a well-earned recognition of his contributions.
“David’s elevation to the executive team comes at a pivotal moment for our business, as we sharpen our strategic focus on cloud innovation. He is the ideal leader to drive our AWS practice forward, bringing vision, experience, and a customer-first mindset. With continued investment in this area, we’re committed to delivering AWS solutions that are secure, scalable, and tailored to the unique demands of the iGaming sector.”
David Brace, Chief Alliance & Partnership Officer, AWS, at Continent 8 Technologies, added: “I’m honoured to join the executive team and lead our AWS practice. The iGaming industry is evolving rapidly, and cloud adoption is central to that transformation. Our goal is to simplify the journey for our customers – whether they’re launching in new markets, navigating regulatory frameworks, or scaling their operations globally. With AWS and Continent 8’s combined capabilities, we’re uniquely positioned to deliver.”
Continent 8 has vast experience in delivering AWS solutions to the industry. The company has already delivered 90% of AWS Outposts in the industry to major brands in the regulated betting and gaming market, including FanDuel, Fanatics Betting & Gaming, and Hard Rock Digital.
Meet David Brace and members of Continent 8’s AWS practice at AWS re:Invent 2025, 1-5 December in Las Vegas.
The post Continent 8 promotes David Brace to Executive Team appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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