Dubai: More residents report e-crimes amid growing awareness from police's gaming tournaments

Residents are becoming more confident in reporting e-crimes as a direct result of awareness raised by the police while hosting e-gaming tournaments, a top official told Khaleej Times. This statement came as Dubai Police announced the fourth edition of the Dubai Police Esports Tournament, set to run from December 20 to December 22 during a press conference.

The initiative, launched in 2023, has evolved significantly. A top official highlighted strategic scheduling during school holidays to maximise participation.

"With each session, we increase the number of games. Initially, we didn’t have games specifically for children, but the turnout from families prompted us to introduce six dedicated games," Major Abdallah Al Shehhi, Director of the Ecrime Department, stated.

The tournament will feature six gaming titles and will be held from December 20 to 22, from 2pm to 9pm. Prizes worth a total of Dh200,000 are on offer, with individual rewards going up to Dh30,000.

The last tournament saw a notable rise in attendance, especially from families, compared to the previous edition. "The accompanying exhibition fostered meaningful discussions between parents and children, leading to valuable insights. As awareness of our e-crime platform increased, so did the number of reports and public understanding of their rights," Al Shehhi remarked.

He further explained: "Our goal is to not only bring people together for gaming but also to educate them about the risks associated with electronic games. While gaming is enjoyable, it can lead to issues like addiction, bullying, and data theft. This tournament emphasises the need to balance gaming with social life."

"We anticipate around 500 students from various schools to participate. Aligning the tournament with winter break caters to student preferences, as 75 per cent expressed this wish in previous events. Our latest study revealed that 31 per cent of parents faced financial losses tied to gaming, underscoring the importance of our awareness initiatives," said Brigadier General Dr Abdulrahman Sharaf, Director of the Hemaya International Center.

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