The founder of a new gaming app hopes to expand into other sports. The app lets users predict the outcome of football matches without breaching Sharia — Islamic Law.
A former MMA or mixed martial arts organizer, Zaid Abu Soud, launched Hajem Sports in the UAE in January. This is to give Muslim users a gambling experience that does not involve money. He is now hoping to add MMA and basketball matches to the options for users in the future after an encouraging start with football.
Abu Soud says he would like to push for mixed martial arts, while his team is more interested in adding basketball. However, he believes the biggest potential addition is esports. He adds that it’s one of the fastest-growing and most followed activities in the region.
Hajem lets users predict football match outcomes without placing a monetary wager, mirroring the functionality of Western sports betting apps. Abu Soud says they wanted to give Arab or Muslim users a way to have skin in the game without engaging in a vice.
In Islam, betting is not allowed. However, Hajem users play for points instead of money. Users receive five credits each day, and correct predictions earn them points. Users climb or drop on local and global league tables within the app based on the accuracy of their predictions. This gives them the excitement of competition without any money changing hands.
The original goal of Abu Soud was to give Muslim sports fans the chance to watch football with friends, as well as enjoy an added element of competition. He explains that they’re betting but not with money. They’re betting with their reputation and know-how. They want to prove to their friends that they are smarter than them and that’s what Hajem lets them do.
