Inside Saudi Arabia’s $38 Billion National Gaming and Esports Strategy

Saudi Arabia has committed $38 billion to building a gaming and esports industry, deployed through Savvy Games Group, an entity owned by the Public Investment Fund. The National Gaming and Esports Strategy sits within Vision 2030, the Kingdom’s economic diversification agenda, and sets targets for GDP contribution, employment, domestic game development and international event hosting.

The MENA-3 markets of Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt were valued at $1.92 billion in 2023, with Niko Partners projecting $2.65 billion by 2027. Growth is driven by a young and digitally active population, high mobile penetration, and government investment in entertainment and technology infrastructure. Saudi Arabia accounts for the largest share of that expansion and has moved earliest on national policy.

What the strategy sets out to achieve

The National Gaming and Esports Strategy carries four stated targets:

• contribute SAR 50 billion, approximately $13.3 billion, to GDP by 2030;
• create 39,000 jobs across gaming and esports;
• establish 250 gaming companies;
• produce 30 globally competitive titles from Saudi-based developers;
• host multiple international events each year.

The approach extends past infrastructure and tournament hosting. The Kingdom is building across the full industry stack, covering game studios, publishing, event operations, physical infrastructure, education and regulation.

Where enterprises fit

The scale of committed capital makes this one of the most heavily funded public-private undertakings in global entertainment, and Saudi Arabia is positioning itself as the regional anchor for gaming across MENA.
Four routes are open to established companies. Joint ventures with Savvy Games Group or other national entities cover content, infrastructure and talent development. Regional headquarters can be established in planned digital cities including NEOM and Qiddiya, both of which include dedicated gaming districts. Licensing and media partnerships address the localisation of games and esports broadcasts for Arabic-speaking audiences. Demand is also rising for B2B tooling: tournament platforms, streaming infrastructure, developer tools, analytics and monetisation services.
Three constraints apply. Legal frameworks are still developing and typically require local navigation and partnership. Content needs cultural and linguistic adaptation for regional audiences. Talent is contested as the market expands, and companies entering the region often need to invest in local development pipelines.

Where startups fit

PIF capital is not confined to acquisitions. It also funds ecosystem development, local partnerships and direct startup investment. The target of 30 globally competitive titles from Saudi-based studios cannot be met without substantial early-stage participation.
The clearest openings are in esports operations platforms, monetisation tooling, fan engagement technology and creator economy products. National projects including NEOM and Qiddiya are actively seeking technology and content collaborators. Arabic-language gaming content, streaming and mobile-first formats remain underserved. Both regional and international funds are deploying into the sector, including direct investment from Savvy Games Group.

The Standouts

Savvy Games Group is deploying $38 billion across gaming acquisitions, ecosystem development, infrastructure and talent. Its acquisitions include ESL FACEIT Group and Scopely, covering both esports infrastructure and mobile publishing.
ESL FACEIT Group was acquired by Savvy for more than $1.5 billion and now operates major events in Saudi Arabia including Gamers8 and the Esports World Cup.
Qiddiya Gaming and Esports District, part of the Qiddiya giga-project near Riyadh, is under construction to house esports arenas, development studios and immersive entertainment zones.
Spoilz Games is a Saudi-based studio developing locally originated content, aligned to the national target for globally competitive IP.

Working with L Marks

We work with gaming, esports and media technology companies building tools, content and infrastructure for emerging markets. Companies operating in MENA can register their interest here.

L Marks is a corporate innovation firm operating across the UK, US and Middle East. We have delivered 120+ programmes, discover 10,000+ companies each year across 81 countries, and have supported 485+ companies through our labs. 78% of participating companies have progressed to deployment with their corporate partner following programme completion. Alumni have raised over $9.4 billion in subsequent investment.