Saudi’s e-sports bet comes with fewer hurdles

Game on: A file picture of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attending a meeting in Riyadh. The country has committed nearly US$40bil to make itself the centre of the US$184bil gaming market by 2030. — AFP

SAUDI Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman hasn’t been bashful about talking up his love of video games, so it’s fitting that his government announced plans to build a sprawling e-sports district outside of Riyadh just before the holidays.

Spread over an area larger than Vatican City, the district will be home to – among other attractions – 30 video game companies, 25 e-sports teams and four e-sports stadiums.