Mastercard Partners with Local Publisher to Simplify Middle East Gaming Payments
Amman, Thursday, 8 October 2026.
Mastercard has partnered with Tamatem to streamline payments across a Middle Eastern gaming market that reached $7.1 billion in 2025, integrating over 50 local payment methods.
Strategic Partnership Announcement
Payments giant Mastercard (NYSE: MA) has formalized a strategic partnership with Jordan-based mobile games publisher Tamatem Plus to streamline gaming transactions across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) [1]. The collaboration was announced on October 8, 2026, according to press materials, though some corporate newsrooms listed the date as October 6, 2026 [1][2]. The initiative aims to integrate Mastercard Gateway into Tamatem Plus, a white-label digital commerce platform, enabling localized web stores and in-game checkout experiences for gamers in the region [1][3]. This integration is set to launch initially in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates before expanding across more than 13 markets in the Middle East and Africa [2][4].
Regional Market Growth and Valuation
The collaboration targets a rapidly expanding sector, with the MENA gaming market valued at approximately $7.1 billion in 2025 [1][2]. This valuation reflects a 7.5% year-on-year growth rate, indicating significant momentum in regional digital entertainment consumption [3]. To illustrate the scale of this expansion, the year-on-year growth value can be represented as 0.532 billion dollars based on the reported figures [1][3]. Tamatem, founded in 2013 and supported by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) and Abu Dhabi Gaming (ADG), seeks to capture this growth by addressing the fragmented payments landscape that gaming companies face when entering the region [2][5].
Technical Integration and Payment Methods
Tamatem Plus currently powers over 30 localized storefronts and provides access to more than 50 local payment methods via a single integration [1][2]. As a direct Mastercard Gateway partner, the platform will receive 24/7 technical support and access to international and local acquirer connections [1]. The integration supports cards, local alternative payment methods, and telco wallet balances, all secured with built-in fraud protection and tokenization through Mastercard Merchant Cloud [3][5]. This infrastructure is designed to remove complexity for gaming companies dealing with different consumer preferences and infrastructure requirements across every market [4].
Leadership Perspectives and Strategic Vision
Hussam Hammo, CEO of Tamatem, stated that enhancing the payment experience is the natural next chapter of their mission to provide MENA-specific gaming content [1][3]. Mete Güney, Executive Vice President of Market Development for EEMEA at Mastercard, noted that gaming is one of the fastest-growing passions in the region and the partnership aims to digitize in-game payments for unprecedented convenience [2][5]. Faisal Al Bitar, Managing Director of Tamatem Plus, emphasized that combining Mastercard’s global payment capabilities with regional infrastructure offers a simpler way for leading gaming companies to scale [4]. The partnership signals a move towards making it simpler and more secure for every gamer in the region to play, pay, and belong [5].