Gaming Sector in Focus as Morocco Accelerates Its Digital Economy Ambitions

Rabat — Morocco Gaming Expo on May 20, 2026 put the country’s ambitions to become a regional hub for the video game industry in the spotlight, drawing government officials, creatives and technology leaders to discuss how gaming can drive digital economic growth in the Kingdom. The conference, reported by Majda Bouzaroita for Morocco World News, was described as one of the first large-scale initiatives of its kind on the African continent and was attended by Mehdi Bensaid alongside public and private sector stakeholders.

"the gaming sector is no longer viewed solely as a form of entertainment, but as a powerful economic ecosystem that combines technology, design, storytelling, artificial intelligence, animation, and digital production."

Conference context and priorities

Speakers at the Morocco Gaming Expo framed the industry as a multifaceted economic opportunity that could deliver employment, spur technological development and enhance international competitiveness. The event underscored Morocco’s broader strategy to strengthen its position in the global digital economy by investing in high-potential creative industries and building an ecosystem that can produce competitive games for regional and global markets.

Organisers and participants highlighted several focus areas for policy and private-sector action, including:

• Attracting international studios to establish a presence in Morocco and to collaborate with local teams;
• Supporting local developers through funding, incubation and publishing partnerships;
• Investing in training programs and creative education to prepare Moroccan youth for careers in game development, animation and digital production;
• Upgrading digital infrastructure to support production pipelines, cloud services and distributed teams;
• Leveraging advances in artificial intelligence and animation to enhance game design and storytelling.

Officials at the expo stressed that cultivating these elements would not only create new career paths for young talent but also encourage cross-sector innovation. The conference noted that gaming revenues worldwide continue to surpass those of several traditional entertainment sectors, positioning the industry as a strategic lever for economic diversification and digital transformation in Morocco.

Beyond economic considerations, participants highlighted gaming’s cultural role, describing it as a modern medium for promoting creativity, storytelling and cultural exchange on an international scale. The expo emphasised that a mature Moroccan games ecosystem could raise the country’s profile across Africa and the wider MENA region.

Outlook: As Morocco accelerates its digital development strategy, initiatives such as the Morocco Gaming Expo signal clear intent to place the Kingdom at the forefront of Africa’s emerging gaming and creative technology landscape. Policymakers and industry leaders at the event called for coordinated investments in education, infrastructure and partnerships to translate the expo’s momentum into sustainable studios, jobs and exportable creative products.