Video game fanatics looking to turn professional are being snapped up by an eSports company based in the UAE.
Galaxy Racer eSports has provided a platform for gamers to compete in tournaments and has signed eight international and local teams so far.
The opportunity has helped gamers pursue eSports as a profession, even offering a fixed salary along with a percentage of prizes earned from tournaments.
Mohammed Abdulaziz Almatrooshi, 19, is an Emirati gamer who was signed by the firm to play a battle arena game League of Legends.
The challenges that I faced were with my family. They took my computer to stop me playing for weeks
"I used to go to internet cafes everyday with my friends after school just to play League of Legends," Mr Almatrooshi, from Abu Dhabi, told The National.
He has been gaming since he was nine-years-old, but said he started taking it more seriously after he noticed his performance improve in tournaments.
In May, he was signed by Galaxy Racer because of his high game ranking.
Shortly after, his team won the Intel Arabian Cup UAE tournament and qualified to the regional stages, where they will have a chance to prove they are the Middle East's best League of Legends team.
“The challenges that I faced were with my family,” said Mr Almatrooshi.
“They didn’t agree with the idea that I play video games. I was skipping a lot of classes for it. They took my computer to stop me playing for weeks. I tried to convince them to give me a chance to show them that eSports was a big thing.”
Once his team won the tournament with a prize of Dh18,000, his family started showing their support for his new profession.
eSports is estimated to be a $1 billion industry, with some players who earn millions in streaming their games online on platforms such as Twitch, as well as competing professionally.
Some international tournaments have millions of dollars as prizes. In 2019, Kyle Giersdorf, 16, won $3 million in a Fortnite competition.
The Middle East’s industry is also rapidly growing and some tournaments offer prizes of up to Dh1 million.
Ksenia Klyuenkova, 29, is a Counter-Strike: Global Offensive player based in Russia. Galaxy Racer recently signed her as member of a all-girl team.
Being a pro player is extremely demanding and stressful. An ability to cope with everything that comes with the career is a crucial factor
"In the beginning it was just a hobby for me," she said. "I played Counter-Strike with friends after school. Gradually, I got better and was asked to join a female team in Russia."
In 2015, Ms Klyuenkova quit her job to pursue her hobby as a full-time profession. She was with another international team at the time.
Now, with Galaxy Racer, she is part of a team that has five women from four different countries.
They won the GirlGamer Festival that took place in Dubai in February and came second at the Dreamback Showdown in June.
But there were challenges she had to face as a female gamer.
“It’s pretty hard to resist and ignore all the negative comments that girls get from other players throughout different gaming platforms," said Ms Klyuenkova.
“Verbal abuse isn’t uncommon online once people figure out it’s a girl playing. There’s also a huge misconception that when a girl receives a certain rank in the game, she’s not getting it on her own and has someone helping her.”
Mia Stellberg, a sports psychologist based in Finland, was hired to work with Galazy Racer's gamers on mental well-being, performance, team spirit and managing pressure.
"Some players thrive under pressure and some underachieve massively," said Ms Stellberg.
"Overall being a pro player is extremely demanding and stressful. An ability to cope with everything that comes with the career is a crucial factor when we are analysing exceptional players.
"Gladly, one can learn to cope with that and grow stronger under good guidance and support. Good balanced personality, maturity and resilience is something I’m trying to teach and reach with my clients."
Galaxy Racer is trying to grow its reach in the Arab world and has hired a Jordanian social media influencer Naji Elqaq to live stream and handle gaming content.
It is estimated that more than 32 million people globally watch live streams of online games.
Paul Roy, chief executive of the organisation, said their goal was to provide gamers with facilities, a platform and bring tournaments here.
“Around the same time last year when we launched Galaxy Racer, I promised that we would build a world-class organisation that is headquartered in Dubai and take it all over the world,” he said.
“And I feel we’ve done quite a bit of that. We’ve got players in 21 countries, eight teams around the world, the very best of coaching, psychologists and all of the support staff.
“We’ve extended that to our players in the Middle East, as well. Both the male and female teams are playing with the best international counterparts."
The Bloomberg Billionaire Index in full
1 Jeff Bezos $140 billion
2 Bill Gates $98.3 billion
3 Bernard Arnault $83.1 billion
4 Warren Buffett $83 billion
5 Amancio Ortega $67.9 billion
6 Mark Zuckerberg $67.3 billion
7 Larry Page $56.8 billion
8 Larry Ellison $56.1 billion
9 Sergey Brin $55.2 billion
10 Carlos Slim $55.2 billion
The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
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Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
Europe’s rearming plan
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- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
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Roll of honour: Who won what in 2018/19?
West Asia Premiership: Winners – Bahrain; Runners-up – Dubai Exiles
UAE Premiership: Winners – Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners-up – Jebel Ali Dragons
Dubai Rugby Sevens: Winners – Dubai Hurricanes; Runners-up – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Conference: Winners – Dubai Tigers; Runners-up – Al Ain Amblers
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Tamkeen's offering
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
If you go
The flights
There are direct flights from Dubai to Sofia with FlyDubai (www.flydubai.com) and Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com), from Dh1,164 and Dh822 return including taxes, respectively.
The trip
Plovdiv is 150km from Sofia, with an hourly bus service taking around 2 hours and costing $16 (Dh58). The Rhodopes can be reached from Sofia in between 2-4hours.
The trip was organised by Bulguides (www.bulguides.com), which organises guided trips throughout Bulgaria. Guiding, accommodation, food and transfers from Plovdiv to the mountains and back costs around 170 USD for a four-day, three-night trip.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
