SVOD subscribers in Middle East to reach 14 million in 2023

Dataxis’ latest research sheds light on the evolution of the digital video market in Middle-East, which is expected to grow significantly in the next 5 years. The growth will mainly be driven by the progression of subscription-based video on demand (SVOD), forecasted to account for 14 million subscribers in 2023, from around 3 million in 2017. Turkey, Saudi Arabia and UAE will continue to count among the leading countries in terms of subscribers and revenues.

Even though the blended average revenue per user (ARPU) remains under $5 in the region, digital video revenues are foreseen to increase substantially, with SVOD’s subscription revenues accounting for almost 90% of the total in 2023.

Nonetheless, the market remains far from reaching its full potential. The strong take off observed in the region must be seen in relation with the overwhelming presence of free-to-air content and with the persistent lack of connectivity in certain countries. The market is thus expected to continue to rise provided that the deployment of broadband and a notable change in habits spread throughout the region.