True Gamers Raises $5M to Accelerate Regional & Global Expansion

True Gamers, a fast-growing esports café operator, has successfully raised $5 million in a Seed funding round to support its regional and international expansion, particularly across the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe.

The funding will be used to expand its branch network through a hybrid model combining franchising and venture capital, while also enhancing the technical infrastructure of its digital platform to improve user experience and service scalability.

This announcement comes less than four months after True Gamers secured $45 million in January 2025 to establish over 150 esports facilities in Saudi Arabia, aligning with Saudi Vision 2030 efforts to foster digital innovation and youth engagement in the esports sector.

Founded in 2022 by Anton Vasilenko and Vladislav Belyanin, the company is headquartered at the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) and currently operates 14 gaming cafés in the UAE. It plans to open 10 new branches across UAE, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Germany, and France.

The GCC esports market is projected to reach $25.9 million by 2025, with an estimated 5.9 million users by 2029, fueled by government-backed initiatives such as Saudi Vision 2030 and the growing demand for esports entertainment and community hubs.