Gaming & iGaming Trends to Watch in 2023

Online gaming has been one the biggest success stories of the 21st century, with advancements in technology powering rapid evolution in the industry worldwide.

Asia and North America have inevitably dominated the landscape in the sector, but their supremacy is slowly being eroded by developments in the Arab world.

Gaming has become one of the most popular entertainment activities in the region for people across the age spectrum and will likely remain so for many years to come.

The associated iGaming genre has been helping to drive revenues, with an increasing number of companies now accepting players from Arabic countries.

Gaming has become an increasingly popular entertainment activity in the region, appealing to people of all ages. As a result, the associated iGaming genre has seen significant growth, with more and more companies now accepting players from Arabic countries.

Numerous real money casinos have made great strides in recent times, adding a significant number of players from this region to their ever-evolving databases.

Given the technological innovations hitting the space, further growth seems guaranteed to happen during 2023 and beyond.

The global rollout of 5G Wi-Fi connectivity will likely have a massive impact, helping firms in the sector offer increasingly immersive iGaming experiences.

More live casino games, improved mobile experiences and virtual reality (VR) games are among the biggest trends to watch in this area over the coming months.

Artificial intelligence (AI) will also become more prevalent in iGaming, having already made its mark in supporting basic customer service and marketing processes.

AI has shown great promise in supporting responsible iGaming practices – a factor that is of particular importance in the Arab world.

Another gaming trend worth monitoring this year will be the progress made in establishing the region as a bona-fide big-hitter in the eSports industry.

Saudi Arabia has invested significant resources into eSports, with several reports suggesting the Kingdom has ploughed billions of dollars into setting up a viable infrastructure.

China, South Korea, North America and Europe are the global leaders in eSports, but Saudi Arabia is eager to grab a slice of the lucrative pie.

With Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman believed to be an avid ‘Call of Duty’ player, it will be intriguing to monitor the impact Saudi involvement has worldwide.

Bin Salman is not alone in being enthralled by gaming, with more than 20 million Saudi citizens believed to undertake the practice on a regular basis.

Some of those will undoubtedly be interested in taking advantage of the thousands of new jobs being created to support the national strategy.

One of the biggest challenges facing Saudi’s bid to muscle in on the action is their stance on human rights and inclusivity issues.

The outcry in traditional sports has been widespread, with critics accusing the Kingdom of using ‘sportswashing’ to improve its global standing.

However, given that the industry is still fighting to establish itself, the sector can ill-afford to be choosy about which nations jump on the bandwagon.

Inclusion in the Asian Games later this year is guaranteed to generate further interest in gaming and inspire more players to test their ability in the arena.

Other Arab nations are certain to view Saudi involvement in gaming as the trigger to step up their own efforts to develop their presence in the industry.

Dubai has already hosted several important events as it strives to position itself as a major player in the gaming industry and on the circuit.

These are clearly exciting times for gaming and iGaming in the Arab world and developments there will be well worth monitoring over the next few years.