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In May 2024, the Dubai government launched a groundbreaking visa initiative aimed at attracting talented individuals, creators, and pioneers in the e-gaming sector. With an ambitious goal of creating 30,000 new jobs and contributing USD 1 billion to the emirate’s GDP by 2033, the Dubai Program for Gaming (DPG) 2033 offers several key benefits, including long-term residency, access to state-of-the-art infrastructure, tax-free earnings, and networking opportunities with investors, founders, and gaming professionals. By recognising the strategic importance of the gaming industry, Dubai is positioning itself as a global hub for gaming talent—an initiative India has yet to fully embrace.

Dubai’s push to become a gaming powerhouse also enhances its geopolitical influence, adding to its existing clout as a civil aviation hub that connects the emirate with the rest of the world. The DPG 2033 underscores Dubai’s commitment to leading technological and economic innovation, setting an example for other nations looking to capitalise on the booming gaming sector.

India, however, risks falling behind if it doesn’t establish a robust regulatory framework for its own gaming industry, a sector that could significantly boost its economy. Dubai’s initiative serves as a cue for India to take proactive steps to attract global gaming talent. In his Independence Day speech this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on India’s IT sector to take charge of developing world-class gaming products. He emphasised that the sector should “Design in India, Design for the World.”

Prime Minister Modi’s vision for the gaming industry comes at a pivotal moment. Reports suggest that by 2028, gaming sector revenues in India could double to USD 6 billion. They also add the mobile gaming segment alone has seen a 41% surge in active users, suggesting that the time is ripe for India to attract top global gaming talent.

However, for India to truly emerge as a gaming powerhouse, the government must address regulatory and policy obstacles that currently impede the sector’s growth. This includes providing regulatory clarity, ensuring policy stability, offering tax incentives, and adopting a uniform, progressive approach to governance. Rather than replicating Dubai’s model, India can draw on global best practices and tailor them to its own socio-economic context.

In 2018, Prime Minister Modi’s government recognised India’s AVGC sector (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics) as a ‘champion sector’. In her 2022 Budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the creation of an AVGC Promotion Task Force to help realise the sector’s full potential. To achieve this, it is crucial for the Indian government to take inspiration from initiatives like Dubai’s and implement similar measures, ensuring India becomes a global hub for gaming.

Views expressed by: Aayush Soni, a communications consultant based in New Delhi

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