The UAE's media sector delivered strong results in 2025, with revenues and activity levels rising sharply across cinema, gaming, publishing, and content creation, according to figures released by the National Media Authority.
Cinema led the headlines, with box office revenues surpassing AED 734 million on the back of more than 14.8 million tickets sold across roughly 1,270 films. The figures reinforce the UAE's standing as one of the region's premier film markets and a growing contributor to the broader creative economy.
Digital gaming posted equally impressive numbers. Platform revenues reached AED 2.7 billion, while the number of games reviewed and classified by the Authority climbed to 552, up from 375 the previous year, signalling both expanded output and tighter regulatory oversight of a fast-growing segment.
Publishing activity also scaled considerably. More than 100,000 permits were issued for book circulation, with nearly 1.2 million titles entering the UAE market, reflecting the scale of cultural and intellectual output the country now supports.
On the regulatory front, the Authority issued over 15,000 Advertiser permits since the programme launched last year, bringing greater transparency and structure to the digital advertising space.
Mohammed Saeed Al Shehhi, Vice Chairman of the National Media Authority, attributed the sector's momentum to deliberate policy design.
"The results achieved over the past year highlight the effectiveness of the UAE's approach in building a media environment that combines regulatory flexibility with global competitiveness,"
he said.
Al Shehhi confirmed the Authority will continue developing its legislative and regulatory frameworks to attract high-value investment and position the UAE as a global hub for media, content creation, and creative industries.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
