Pearson underscored Saudi Arabia’s ambition to become a global hub for e-sports, with the kingdom set to host the first Esports Olympic Games later this year.

According to Pearson, the e-sport market topped USD1.62 billion (MOP13 billion) last year, attracting a colossal audience of 577 million. Sponsorship revenue alone reached USD1.4 billion during the same period.

He also emphasised the increasing attraction of cyber sports among mainland China’s younger generation — a market that Macau should strategically tap into.

“You have a situation where if you’ve got a pack-rat tournament that’s filling up the gaming floor, then maybe this is a way to bring people that aren’t expected to gamble,” Pearson noted. “So, they’re not going to fill up that part of your casino. But, they’re young people, so they’re still very interested in doing things and seeing other parts of Macau.”

Recent insights from a 2024 Guangdong gaming industry conference held in Zhuhai revealed that Guangdong’s gaming industry accounts for nearly 80 per cent of the national market.

In a media interview last month, Mario Ho, the youngest son of the late Macau casino tycoon Stanley Ho, urged Macau to incorporate e-sports into its hotel landscape, noting it could help diversify Macau’s development.

The chair of NIP Group is reportedly collaborating with a unit of the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) to bolster the gaming, media, and entertainment sectors in the UAE capital.

Under a five-year strategic agreement, ADIO Holdings will provide the group, which operates two esports brands — Ninjas in Pyjamas and eStar Gaming — with approximately USD40 million to set up a global headquarters in Abu Dhabi as a base to expand its business in the Middle East and worldwide.