A recent analytical study conducted by Galal & Karawi Management Consulting (G&K) in collaboration with Orient Planet Group reveals that the Middle East’s video game industry has become the region’s largest sector for consumer spending on digital media. The gaming sector has now surpassed the combined value of video-on-demand (VoD) streaming and digital music services, highlighting a significant transformation in regional digital consumption patterns.
The study’s findings were announced during the Media Z event, organized by the Dubai Media Academy in partnership with the Canadian University Dubai.
$2.52 Billion Gaming Spend Across Three Key Markets
According to the research, total consumer spending on video games in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt reached nearly $2.52 billion in 2024, compared with $1.16 billion for VoD streaming and $306.7 million for digital music platforms.
Gaming therefore accounted for 63.2% of total digital media expenditure across these three major markets.
The study relied on accredited data sources, including Statista, DataReportal, GSMA Intelligence, and SimilarWeb, focusing on annual spending trends and market comparisons for 2024.
A Structural Shift in Digital Consumer Behavior
Findings indicate that gaming has evolved from a niche entertainment activity into a comprehensive economic ecosystem shaping digital consumer behavior. This shift is driven by widespread smartphone adoption, the growth of interactive gaming culture, and rising in-game and platform-based spending.
Eng. Asem Galal, Co-Founder of G&K, noted that the gaming industry is now a key engine of the region’s content economy, generating opportunities across design, storytelling, creative production, digital marketing, virtual community management, and intellectual property governance.
He emphasized that the sector enables Arab talent to compete globally from within their home markets, rather than relocating abroad.
Strategic Implications for Media, Marketing, and Investment
Dr. Nidal Abou Zaki, Managing Director of Orient Planet Group, described the findings as evidence of a strategic shift in the region’s digital economy. Video games are becoming a powerful media and economic platform that attracts investment and reshapes brand-consumer engagement—particularly among youth.
He highlighted that around 62.8% of the Arab population is under 35, reinforcing the sector’s long-term growth potential. Combined with smartphone penetration, strong Gulf purchasing power, and Egypt’s large gamer base, the Middle East is emerging as one of the fastest-growing gaming regions globally.
Muna Busamra, Head of the Dubai Media Academy, added that younger generations—especially Gen Z and Gen Alpha—now view games as interactive spaces for expression and community-building, not just entertainment. This shift requires media institutions to rethink traditional audience engagement strategies.
Market Insights: Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE
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Egypt recorded the largest overall gaming market by volume, with $1.10 billion in spending and 91.6% gamer penetration among internet users. Mobile gaming dominates, representing 76.4% of usage, despite a lower ARPU of $61.76.
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Saudi Arabia posted the highest-value market, nearing $1 billion in gaming expenditure and the region’s top ARPU of $393, accounting for about 69% of digital media spending.
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The UAE demonstrated a mature, high-income digital ecosystem, with $421 million in gaming spend, $280 ARPU, and balanced consumption across gaming, VoD, and music.
Gaming as a Catalyst for the Creative Economy
The report concludes that the gaming industry is rapidly becoming a core driver of the Middle East’s digital and creative economy, unlocking employment opportunities across multiple creative and technical disciplines.
As integration between gaming, media, entertainment, and marketing accelerates, the study underscores the need for coordinated policies, investment strategies, and ecosystem support to sustain long-term growth and innovation.شش
