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Growing esports market has huge potential in Mideast

The video gaming industry is gaining ground in the Middle East, as its popularity and prize money continue to grow.
A Qatari player competes in the E-sports competition at the 2nd Asian Indoor Games in Macau, 27 October 2007.   Featuring such unusual events as video games, chess and dance sport, the tournament, now in its second edition, aims to fill the gap left by the Olympics or the Asian Games. AFP PHOTO/Ted ALJIBE (Photo credit should read TED ALJIBE/AFP/Getty Images)

The idea of "monetizing your passion" — making money doing what you love — is still a hard sell in the Middle East.

One needs to be a doctor, an engineer or someone with an advanced degree in other fields to be seen as a person with a respected job. In this region, video games are generally classified as an expensive way to waste one's time and a form of entertainment for kids, nothing more. While this distorted image prevails, the industry is evolving and showing more potential for gamers and investors, as the public view is slowly shifting.

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