Photo: AFPThese moves have attracted the kind of criticism Saudi Arabian officials have come to expect, with some e-sports leaders objecting to Riyadh’s human rights record. Saudi Arabian gamers are reveling in their country’s newfound status and the eye-watering prize pools it brings. The national e-sports federation was created in 2017, and the number of e-sports teams in the kingdom has since blossomed from two to more than 100. The outcry was immediate and intense, led by LGBTQ gamers who condemned Saudi Arabia’s prohibition of same-sex sexual acts, which can be a capital offense. Saudi Arabian officials are undeterred, and they have deep backing in the e-sports world.

Source: Taipei Times September 25, 2022 03:52 UTC