Dubai Pushes For More Women In Esports, Gaming With New Support Initiatives

Dubai is stepping up efforts to bring more women into the spotlight in the world of esports , according to an official.

Empowering women - both through visibility and financial support - is a key step toward seeing more female gamers represent the UAE in international Esports championships, according to Muna Al Falasi, director of Esports and Strategy at the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET).

Al Falasi acknowledged that esports and competitive gaming is still a relatively new concept in Emirati culture, especially for women. However, she stressed that DET is working to change that.

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She noted that they want to encourage Emirati women to step forward and take on the challenge, noting the widespread popularity of gaming among the youth .“We're strengthening Dubai's position through government support and helping young talent participate in all the gaming festivals we organise," she added.

In a historic move last November, the UAE sent its first group of female gamers to compete against Saudi Arabia - currently the region's largest esports market. This milestone marked a significant moment for Emirati women entering the competitive gaming space.

Al Falasi made these remarks during a panel discussion on the opening day of the Arab Media Summit, where she was joined by Abdullah Bin Baz, founder and CEO of Baz Station, and Mohammed Al Bsimi, founder of Saudi's True Gaming agency. The three-day summit brings together around 8,000 media professionals from across the Arab world.

Adding to the conversation, Mohammed highlighted a broader cultural gap in the region.“The problem is that we do not have a culture of attending esports competitions,” he said.“We need to attend esports competitions, get used to it and build that habit.”

Despite these challenges, the UAE sees great potential in esports and is actively investing in its growth. Just last month, the UAE Esports Federation launched a first-of-its-kind e-gaming championship for university students across the country.

Further incentive comes in the form of the recently announced 'Dubai Gaming Visa' - a 10-year residency initiative designed to attract gamers and esports professional to live, work, and grow their careers in Dubai.

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