In an interview on the Moroccan TV channel Medi 1 in a segment featuring the “Gaming Industry in Morocco,” the kingdom’s thriving gaming industry took center stage, as key industry stakeholders revealed compelling statistics and ambitious projections.
Soufiane El Filali, Director of Marketing and Communication and spokesperson for the Royal Moroccan Federation of Electronic Games (FRMJE), and Brahim Amdouy, Communication Manager for the telecommunications giant “INWI” made some startling predictions.
The global eSports market is predicted to reach a whopping $1.6 billion by the end of 2024, with an annual growth rate of more than 11%, highlighting Morocco’s active efforts to professionalize gaming, foster local content through the “Made in Morocco” initiative, and develop a robust gaming ecosystem.
Morocco, considered to be Africa’s largest gaming consumer, has a significant player base of over 3 million avid gamers who play regularly, on a daily basis, and about 15 million casual users who play only occasionally as a pastime. Morocco’s new “Rabat Gaming City” initiative, which is taking shape across a sprawling 5-hectare area in the capital, is intended to place the kingdom prominently on the global eSports map.
Given the importance of gaming, Morocco has entrusted the presidency of the African Digital Sports Confederation to Hicham El Khlifi, the FRMJE President.
“eSport is the competitive side of gaming tournaments,” El Filali said. “The gaming industry is much broader than that. It was valued at over $300 million in revenues in 2022. It’s a very broad industry, including equipment, but it also includes a lot of industries and key players.”
He said Morocco’s aspires to become a regional and continental gaming hub, leveraging its allure to attract foreign investments.
Amdouy addressed the impact of the pandemic on Morocco’s gaming landscape. He noted that while in-person gaming events had faced setbacks, online gaming, including streaming, flourished in the digital and dematerialized realm of eSports.
“Social media has also accelerated gaming, giving rise to a new profession, such as ‘gamer,’ where a player can share his screen with his community of followers and fans and earn money,” he said.
The discussion also explored challenges such as transparency and security in brand-gamer partnerships, with El Filali emphasizing the importance of ethical codes.
Citing examples from countries where playing has become lucrative, such as “Play to Earn” activities, El Filali highlighted that in India, where “80% of the population ‘plays;’ the more you play, the more money you earn. People wake up in the morning and play to earn 200 or 300 euros — that’s almost 2 or 3 times the minimum wage in that country, I think.”
El Filali explained the link between playing and addiction, as he sees it. “As a representative federation, I want to point out to parents that someone who plays isn’t necessarily someone addicted [ . . .] You have to play responsibly, that’s for sure, but a gamer is also someone who’s immersed in the digital world, and it’s a much sought-after profile in the corporate world, because a gamer takes decisions quickly, every millisecond, and has options when it comes to making those decisions, so he’s someone who takes the initiative and has the doors opened to tomorrow’s job market.”
Despite Morocco’s substantial consumer base, its professional player ecosystem is still evolving.
Amdouy highlighted his company “INWI” as a key player in fostering eSports development in Morocco.
The “inwi league,” now in its impressive seventh year, was introduced to structure players and ensure optimal competition conditions.
The discussion touched on an inclusive approach, with initiatives to equip youth centers with gaming facilities and organize weekly tournaments across Morocco. El Filali highlighted the emergence of women’s gaming teams, emphasizing the potential of women in eSports.
“We have women’s teams,” he assured. In fact, he said, “the first medal the federation earned was with the women’s team. And at international level, there are more women players than men; one woman was a quarter-finalist in the FIFA World Cup, and she’s Moroccan. Today, we don’t make distinctions, and for me, women have a lot of potential.”
He also noted the increasing recognition of Moroccan streamers on international platforms, earning substantial monthly incomes.
“We have distinguished Moroccan streamers, whom we’ve invited on international scenes to promote them, and this will enable them to get some sponsorship,” he said. “Today the Moroccan streamers on international streaming sites earn 15 to 20 thousand dollars a month. The streamer can advertise, earn a salary, along with having a full-time job,” he clarified.
The federation further talked about the significant Rabat Gaming City, an initiative led by the Ministry of Youth, Communication, and Culture, seeking to transition Morocco from a gaming consumer to a producer. “By 2027, the city aspires to create an impressive 4,000 jobs, including a hundred engineering positions, with a keen focus on attracting business investments,” he revealed.
“The future is not Europe,” El Filali asserted. “The future is Africa for the professionals who will be trained here in Morocco.”
He also highlighted collaborations with universities and the creation of gaming-related courses reflecting efforts to capitalize on the gaming industry’s potential in Morocco.
Amdouy disclosed the “INWI Challenge” partnership with Morocco’s Ministry of Education, integrating gaming into education to facilitate learning across various domains.
The INWI communication manager talked about the Mind Craft Education project, “a game in which students interact with each other to pass on complex concepts and skills, and there are courses with virtual teachers. It’s available for all school levels, from primary to secondary and even higher education.”
El Filali concluded by emphasizing the need for inspiration and role models for youth such as gamers/doctors or engineers.
He also cited the latest project “e-botola” in collaboration with the Royal Moroccan Football Federation as an initiative that could elevate gaming and eSports in Morocco.