Looking at video gaming as a proxy for hobby interest – Iraqi consumers spent about $90 million on video games in 2023. That figure, while growing, is still far below countries with comparable population sizes. For instance, Egypt’s game spending was $1.71 billion in 2023 – almost 19 times Iraq’s – even though Iraq’s population is about 45 million vs Egypt’s 100 million. Similarly, Saudi Arabia spent ~$1.89B. This huge gap isn’t because Iraqis don’t love games; it’s because the market here is underdeveloped and under-served. It tells us that as infrastructure improves and more products become available, Iraq’s per capita spending on games will rise sharply. We see Iraq on the cusp of a gaming and hobby revolution, much like other regional markets a few years ago.

In neighboring countries, we’ve seen how quickly hobby culture can take off. In the Gulf states (e.g. UAE, Saudi), we’ve seen governments and investors pour money into e-sports, comic cons, and hobby stores, resulting in huge communities of gamers and collectors. Iraq is the last large market in MENA that has yet to undergo this transformation – and we intend to lead it.

Global trends show a surge in collectibles and TCGs. Pokémon cards, for instance, have triggered buying frenzies in the West and Asia. While no Iraq-specific stats exist yet (since the market is nascent), anecdotal evidence is growing: local online groups swap cards, and we’ve heard of individual sellers bringing small batches of Pokémon or Yu-Gi-Oh! cards from Dubai or Amman selling out immediately. The global TCG market’s steady growth (~7-8% annually) and the success of TCG communities in neighboring countries suggest Iraq is fertile ground. We aim to formalize and catalyze this trend by obtaining exclusive distribution rights for major TCG brands in Iraq and running learn-to-play events to introduce them properly.

Interestingly, data shows that in Iraq’s growing e-commerce sector, the largest segment is “Hobby & Leisure,” accounting for 25% of online retail revenue. That means out of all things Iraqis buy online – clothing, electronics, etc. – hobby/leisure items are the #1 category. This is a strong indicator that Iraq’s populace is actively seeking entertainment and hobby products (likely including toys, games, sporting goods) when they have access to them. It reinforces our belief that a well-stocked, well-promoted hobby game store (both physical and online) will be met with eager demand.