Algeria – North Africa is carving out a central role in the Middle East and North Africa’s (MENA) rapidly growing gaming industry, leveraging a youthful, tech-savvy population and increasing investment flows. Countries including Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Libya, and Tunisia are becoming integral to a market that now counts an estimated 559 million gamers across the region.
Among the most active backers is GEM Capital, an international gaming and entertainment investor with offices in Dubai and Cyprus. With a portfolio spanning over 25 projects in MENA, Europe, the US, and Israel, GEM is strengthening its footprint in the region.
“Today, the Middle East and North Africa region stands at a unique and powerful inflection point,” said Kirill Gurskiy, Managing Director of GEM Capital. “While traditionally strong in other sectors, MENA’s most compelling venture capital opportunity now lies in its booming games industry.”
The scale is unmatched—MENA’s gaming audience is nearly as large as that of North and Latin America combined, and larger than Europe’s. With North Africa integrated into this ecosystem, the region is poised to become a global gaming powerhouse, driven by its demographics, investor momentum, and government-backed digital transformation agendas.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE are leading the charge with bold policies and funding initiatives, drawing global firms while nurturing homegrown talent. In August 2025 alone, regional gaming firms raised over $56 million, empowering developers to compete globally and further solidifying MENA’s position as a fast-growing hub for gaming innovation.
