Countries that are going all in on esports

Companies and organisations that managed to survive the esports winter are now being rewarded with an esports spring that is steadily showing signs of growth. With interest in esports continuing to capture worldwide attention, countries have started to take notice and are looking to develop their local scenes.

With so many countries investing in esports, Esports Insider takes a closer look at some nations going all in on the industry.

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Malaysia

In recent years, Malaysia has committed itself to becoming a nation that fully embraces esports as a scene and career path. In February 2025, Mobile Legends’ M6 World Championship received an endorsement from its government after MOONTON Games hosted the event at Kuala Lumpur’s Axiata Arena. 

The endorsement followed the government announcing plans to invest £3.5m in the development of Malaysia’s esports industry. The aim is to develop the country’s local esports scene, including infrastructure, talent development, career support and the improvement of grassroots esports initiatives within the country.

Malaysia is one of the notable names in Southeast Asian esports, with several organisations and players based in the country. MPL Malaysia Season 15, the country’s Mobile Legends: Bang Bang League, attracted peak viewing figures of 497,877, according to Esports Charts. 

With Malaysian teams making an impact on the international esports scene, the country is continuing to cement its position as one of Asia’s biggest esports nations. Ultimately, it aims to build a sustainable ecosystem for future generations to utilise when pursuing a career within the industry.

India

India has cemented itself as one of Asia’s leading esports nations after its government officially recognised esports in 2023. As a result, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports governs esports operations within the country.

In the years since the government recognised esports, India has been a hotbed of activity for stakeholders expanding their presence worldwide. In April, BLAST joined forces with Reliance, resulting in the tournament organiser opening a state-of-the-art production studio. Alongside BLAST, the Esports World Cup Foundation expanded its presence in India through partnerships with streaming services and opportunities for Indian teams to compete at the Esports World Cup. 

India’s esports ecosystem is largely dominated by Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), a country-specific version of the free-to-play battle royale title PUBG: Mobile. In 2022, the title was removed from app stores due to developer KRAFTON’s ties with the Chinese company Tencent. Since the title’s return in 2023, KRAFTON has continued to develop the BGMI ecosystem, announcing it has opened bids for a franchise league described as a ’revolutionary esports initiative.’

Mobile esports remains the focal point for growth in India. As more tournament organisers and publishers continue to expand operations into the country, India is in a position to act as one of Asia’s major players within esports. 

France

With France housing some of the most successful esports organisations in the world, its government has invested heavily in national esports initiatives designed to promote stable and long-term growth. In 2023, the French government unveiled a national esports strategy, with the aim of making the country more attractive to tournament organisers. 

The initiative worked, with BLAST hosting CS:GO’s final Major in Paris, and the tournament organiser hosting the 2025 Rocket League and Fortnite world championships in Lyon. 

As esports continues to grow, France remains a hotspot of activity within continental Europe thanks to the initiatives launched by its government. With the likes of Team Vitality and Karmine Corp continuing to excel in their respective titles, attention on the country is bound to keep growing into the second half of the 2020s.

UK

The UK esports scene has peaked and troughed over the past two decades, with the country housing some of the most recognisable organisations in the world. 2025 has sparked renewed interest, with the government looking to recruit a Head of Video Games and Esports to work as part of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and grow the country’s gaming and esports sectors. 

Alongside the government capitalising on esports, the UK has become a hub for publishers to host tentpole events. In 2024, the League of Legends World Championship Finals took place at London’s O2 Arena, marking the first time in seven years one of esports’ biggest events had taken place in England’s capital. In addition to League of Legends, the country has hosted Counter-Strike, Rocket League, and Dota 2 events in various locations.

Outside of hosting major events, grassroots initiatives designed to build a sustainable ecosystem in the country are beginning to take shape. British Esports announced it will open a dedicated gaming and esports arena in 2026. The facility will act as a training and education hub for aspiring players looking to pursue a career in esports. 

Elsewhere, UK esports players are excelling on the biggest stages. Call of Duty player Byron ‘Nastie’ Plumridge appeared in two Call of Duty League (CDL) Majors while representing Vancouver Surge. Elsewhere, William ‘mezii’ Merriman became the first UK Counter-Strike player to win a Major tournament, achieving victory as part of a Team Vitality roster that has dominated Counter-Strike 2 throughout 2025. 

However, despite international success, the UK is still adverse to investing in the growth of the esports industry within the country. In June, the government announced a £30m investment into the gaming industry and the development of titles. Details of the investment don’t contain any mention of enhancing esports across the nation.

Saudi Arabia

The most recent country going all in on esports is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In recent years, the kingdom has invested tens of millions into building an ecosystem capable of supporting local talent, along with attracting the biggest organisations, publishers and tournament operators to its events.

Launched in 2024, the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) hosted the inaugural Esports World Cup, one of the largest multi-title events in esports history. A total of $62.5m (~£46.08m) in prize money was awarded to players and organisations that form the event’s Club Championship, an initiative designed to encourage long-term growth and sustainability on a global scale. 

For 2025, the Club Championship expanded to 40 organisations, with the EWCF focusing on attracting teams based in China, Asia and Oceania. In addition to new members of the initiative, the total prize pool increased to $70m (~£51.6m), placing Saudi Arabia at the forefront of global esports. 

Despite the heavy investment in esports, the involvement of the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund continues to loom over the EWCF and its projects. The Saudi Arabian government backs the Public Investment Fund, which is used to bring esports, sporting, and entertainment events to the kingdom. As a result, allegations of esports washing to cover up its human rights record remain.

Will Other Countries Embrace Esports?

As the esports industry continues to grow, more countries will begin investing in projects that can encourage long-term sustainability. Moreover, there are also other nations that have already adopted esports into mainstream culture, most notably China and South Korea.

Still, with the likes of Saudi Arabia, India and the UK investing in various initiatives, more countries around the world will follow suit. Although the involvement of some countries remains under the spotlight, the efforts of other nations demonstrate that esports can be a force for good.

Source: https://esportsinsider.com/