Payments on Tamatem Plus, the white-label digital commerce platform and marketplace operated by mobile games publisher Tamatem, will run through Mastercard Gateway in more than 13 markets across the Middle East and Africa, beginning with Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Players will be able to complete purchases through localised web stores and in-game checkouts using cards, local alternative payment methods (APMs), and telco wallet balances, with authentication and fraud protection integrated into the process.
Tamatem is backed by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office and Abu Dhabi Gaming. For publishers, the arrangement provides a direct-to-consumer channel that gives them greater control over branding and purchasing journeys, while helping them build direct relationships with their audiences. Tamatem Plus currently operates more than 30 localised storefronts and offers access to over 50 local payment options through a single integration. As a direct Mastercard Gateway partner, it will also receive round-the-clock technical support, connections to multiple local and international acquirers, and training and knowledge transfer aimed at developing local capabilities.
Regional growth and fragmented payment preferences
The partnership follows growth in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) gaming market, which reached around USD 7.1 billion in 2025, up 7.5% year on year, according to a recent report cited by the companies. Operators entering the region face a fragmented landscape, where consumer preferences, payment methods, and infrastructure requirements differ from one country to the next. Faisal Al Bitar, Managing Director of Tamatem Plus, said the platform was designed to reduce that complexity by consolidating commerce and payments, with Mastercard's capabilities complementing its regional infrastructure and market knowledge.
Mastercard Gateway processes transactions across in-store, web, and mobile app channels and is available through Mastercard Merchant Cloud, the company's acceptance framework. Merchant Cloud gives businesses access to modular services, including agentic commerce, fraud protection, authentication, tokenisation, data, and partner services. Mete Güney, Executive Vice President of Market Development for EEMEA at Mastercard, said gaming is a growing area of consumer interest in the region and that the company is digitising in-game payments through local partnerships. For Tamatem, the agreement builds on its focus on games tailored to Arabic language and culture, an approach it has followed since it was founded in 2013.
