By the Pro24 DMCC Advisory Team — official DMCC Partner and business setup specialists in JLT, Dubai. Last reviewed August 2026.
Gaming is one of the fastest-growing industries on earth, and Dubai wants a share of it. DMCC’s Gaming Centre is a dedicated ecosystem for studios, publishers, esports teams and the tech that powers them. If you’re building games, running tournaments, or providing services to the industry, a gaming company setup in Dubai through DMCC gives you a licensed home, community and a tax-efficient base. Here’s how it works.
Key takeaways
- DMCC’s Gaming Centre is a purpose-built hub for studios, esports and gaming tech.
- Most gaming activity runs on a service or trading licence — lean to start.
- You get 100% ownership, 0% qualifying tax and access to a gaming community.
- Great fit for studios, publishers, esports orgs and B2B gaming service providers.
Why Dubai, why DMCC
Dubai offers a young, connected, high-spending population and government backing for the gaming sector as part of its wider tech push. DMCC concentrates that ambition in one place: the Gaming Centre clusters studios, publishers and service providers, hosts events, and plugs founders into talent and investors. For a globally-minded studio, a credible licensed base beats operating from a bedroom under no jurisdiction.
What the Gaming Centre supports
Typical activities include game development and publishing, esports team and tournament operation, game design and art services, streaming and content, and gaming-adjacent technology. Because most of these are service or digital-product activities, they’re relatively lean to license — you often don’t need heavy capital or large physical space to begin.
Tip: If your game monetises through crypto or NFTs, you may cross into virtual-asset regulation (VARA) — see our DMCC Web3 guide and map that early.
The licence you need
Most studios and service providers operate on a service licence, while those selling physical merchandise or hardware may add trading activities. DMCC’s Gaming licence pathway bundles the relevant activities with access to the Centre. A flexi desk supports up to three visas — enough for a founding team.
Indicative cost
| Component | Indicative (AED) |
|---|---|
| Service licence + registration | ~15,000–25,000 (year one) |
| Flexi desk (up to 3 visas) | from ~15,000 |
| Per visa | ~3,000–5,000 |
A lean studio often starts around AED 30,000–50,000 in year one — see the full cost breakdown.
The best time to get licensed is before your first revenue — publishers, stores and sponsors all want to deal with a real company.
Step-by-step setup
- Define your activity — development, publishing, esports, or services.
- Choose your licence (usually service) and file DMCC initial approval.
- Take a flexi desk in or near the Gaming Centre.
- Get your licence and visas, then open banking.
- Plug into the ecosystem — events, talent and investors.
Frequently asked questions
What licence do I need for a game studio in Dubai?
Most studios use a DMCC service licence; add trading activities if you sell physical merchandise or hardware.
Can I run an esports team from DMCC?
Yes — esports team and tournament operation are supported activities in the Gaming Centre.
Do gaming companies pay tax in DMCC?
They fall under UAE Corporate Tax — 0% on qualifying income as a QFZP, otherwise 9%. No personal income tax.
Building a studio or esports org? Pro24 will set up your DMCC gaming company. Official reference: DMCC (dmcc.ae).
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