Entertainment Habits are Shifting in the Middle East

The Middle East’s rich culture boasts numerous traditional forms of entertainment including storytelling, music and dance.

However, several nations have been shifting their taste in entertainment, which works perfectly for the governments as they look to diversify their oil-reliant economies.

Cinema, iGaming and sports are critical areas of transformation and highlight the Middle East’s desire to balance tradition and innovation.

Cinema

The rapid transformation of the cinema scene in the Middle East over the past decade has been remarkable to witness.

The sector was underdeveloped in many parts of the region despite its massive potential due to religious beliefs, cultural sensitivities and a lack of infrastructure.

However, governments and private enterprises are now investing heavily in the cinema sector, particularly in Saudi Arabia.

The General Entertainment Authority (GEA) has spearheaded initiatives to build state-of-the-art theatres and attract international film production studios.

Revenue in this market is expected to exhibit an annual growth rate of 5.37 percent, leading to a projected market volume of $359.10 million by 2029.

The birth of the Red Sea International Film Festival in 2019 was a turning point as it became a platform for local and international filmmakers to showcase their art.

Films such as Barakah Meets Barakah and The Perfect Candidate have become worldwide hits, showcasing Saudi talent globally while honouring local culture.

Women and young filmmakers are capitalising on this boon to tell their stories, spotlighting issues from gender equality to identity and more.

Streaming platforms have identified the Middle Eastern market as an untapped goldmine, with operators such as Netflix and Shahid VIP investing in Arabic-language productions.

iGaming

Online gambling is gradually becoming a phenomenon in the region despite strict religious laws as the younger population seek new ways to keep themselves entertained.

This demographic, alongside the penetration of mobile phones and the emergence of high-speed internet, has spurred the sector’s growth.

Gambling has always been a touchy subject in the Middle East. However, some nations have let the brakes off by allowing gaming operators to offer their services to Arab players.

For example, there are numerous online casinos in Kuwait which operate under licenses issued by regulators in established gaming jurisdictions elsewhere in the world.

The global iGaming market is slated to reach $145.6 billion by 2030, and the Middle East is expected to play a crucial role in this growth.

Intriguingly, eSports will play a key role in the betting boom in the Middle East, with the genre on track to become hugely successful there.

The Gulf region has pushed itself to the forefront in the eSports arena, with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia hosting several international tournaments.

Saudi Arabia has hosted the eSports World Cup and will perform the same duties at the inaugural eSports Olympic Games next year. The UAE is also building the Dubai X-Stadium.

Gaming events are extremely popular with the new generation of sports bettors and will likely become big business in the Middle East betting industry in the next few years.

Sports

Qatar hosted the 2022 World Cup and the success of the showpiece has inspired neighbours Saudi Arabia and the UAE to invest heavily in sports.

Saudi Arabia has invested billions of dollars into boosting the profile of their domestic football league, signing popular European stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo.

They have also staged two most of the most anticipated boxing matches of the year – Artur Beterbiev versus Dmitry Bivol and Oleksandr Usyk versus Tyson Fury – in Riyadh.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has also recognised the potential in the Middle East, staging several top-class events over the last few years.

Grassroots initiatives have become more popular, with community football leagues, school-level cricket tournaments and women’s sports programmes thriving.

Apart from boosting healthy physical activity amongst young people, the schemes also help to build strong community bonds.

Entertainment habits in the Middle East are undoubtedly evolving as the region pushes to modernise itself and this trend looks set to continue for the foreseeable future.