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Yue Meng-Lewis, Senior Lecturer in Digital Marketing, The Open University

DARK SECRETS: Three ways professional gaming is becoming geopolitical - The Real Truth

Fans celebrate during a professional gaming competition in Moscow, Russia, in 2019. Roman Kosolapov / Shutterstock

The competitive gaming industry has grown rapidly over the past two decades, transforming from a niche sub-culture into a global phenomenon watched by millions of spectators worldwide.

More than 3 million fans attended the 2025 Esports World Cup in Saudi Arabia alone, according to the tournament’s organisers, where professional players and teams competed for over US$70 million (£53 million) in prize money.

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