Streaming in the Middle East: UAE, Saudi Arabia, Turkey 2026

The MENA (Middle East and North Africa) streaming market reached $2.3 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow at 18% annually through 2028, according to Digital TV Research. The region has approximately 40 million paying streaming subscribers, a relatively small share of its 500+ million population, indicating significant growth potential. Key drivers: young demographics (60% of the region's population is under 30), rising smartphone penetration, improving broadband infrastructure, and increasing disposable income in Gulf states. Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ all operate in the region alongside dominant regional players Shahid and OSN+.

Shahid is the streaming platform of MBC Group (Middle East Broadcasting Center), the region's largest privately owned broadcaster headquartered in Dubai. Shahid has approximately 40 million monthly active users and is the most-watched streaming service in the Arab world by viewing time.

Shahid operates on a freemium model. The free tier (Shahid) includes ad-supported content. Shahid VIP (approximately $6–8/month depending on market) provides ad-free access, full season libraries, and Shahid VIP Originals. MBC Group has invested significantly in Arabic-language original productions under the Shahid brand — the region's closest equivalent to Netflix Originals strategy. Shahid is available across all Arab countries and in Arab diaspora communities in Europe and North America.

Netflix operates in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Lebanon, and across North Africa. Netflix has made strategic investments in Arabic-language content: the Lebanese thriller Al Hayba, the Saudi sci-fi series Jinn (Jordan, 2019), and Egyptian productions targeting the broader Arab market.

Content moderation is real and meaningful. Netflix has acknowledged removing or editing specific content in Saudi Arabia to comply with local regulations. The Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) in Saudi Arabia monitors streaming content. LGBTQ+ content that appears on Netflix in Western markets is either absent or modified in MENA markets. Violence standards also differ. Netflix has invested in building relationships with local regulatory bodies to maintain operating licenses across the region.

OSN (Orbit Showtime Network) is a Dubai-based pay-TV operator that launched OSN+ as its streaming platform in 2022. OSN+ holds premium rights to HBO Max content in the Middle East — meaning HBO's prestige productions (House of the Dragon, The Last of Us, Succession, White Lotus) are on OSN+ in the MENA region rather than directly on Max.

OSN+ pricing is approximately $12–16/month depending on the market — the most expensive streaming option in the region. It targets the affluent Gulf market (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman) where purchasing power is highest. OSN+ also carries beIN Sports content under partnership agreements.

Turkey occupies a unique position in the MENA streaming landscape. It is simultaneously a major consumer of international streaming (Netflix Turkey had approximately 6 million subscribers in 2025) and a major producer of content exported across the MENA region. Turkish drama series (dizi) are the most-watched foreign content in Arab countries, surpassing Hollywood and Korean content in total viewing hours across MENA.

Local Turkish streaming platforms BluTV and Exxen compete with Netflix and Amazon Prime Video for the Turkish domestic market. BluTV holds Turkish sports rights including the Süper Lig football league. Exxen, owned by Acun Medya, produces Turkish reality content and holds distribution rights for international sports including the UFC. Netflix Turkey has produced globally distributed Originals including The Gift, Fatma, Rise of Empires: Ottoman, and Ethos.