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The Communications, Space and Technology Commission issued its fifth Saudi Internet report on August 16, 2026, documenting an 89 percent improvement in gaming latency. Response times for popular online games have decreased to 11 milliseconds for Teamfight Tactics and League of Legends as well as 12 milliseconds for Mobile Legends according to the CST assessment. These advances result from network optimizations and expanded infrastructure across the kingdom. The report evaluates service quality using data collected through the commission’s dedicated monitoring systems.
IoT subscriptions climbed to 13.85 million in the latest CST tally. Urban coverage for narrowband IoT technology stands at roughly 99 percent supported by more than 30,000 towers the commission reported. Household adoption has reached 18 percent signaling wider uptake of connected solutions. The figures demonstrate accelerating deployment of Internet of Things applications in both consumer and commercial segments.
Gaming usage statistics in the CST report highlight platform preferences and playing frequency. Smart devices represent 22.1 percent of gaming activity while PlayStation accounts for 21.8 percent. Weekly gaming sessions occur among 32.1 percent of participants, intermittent play among 31 percent and daily gaming among 29.2 percent. The commission compiled these insights from comprehensive surveys of user behavior.
The CST report noted that Saudi Arabia ranked first globally in the International Telecommunication Union’s 2025 Digital Readiness Index. This position reflects the country’s advancements in digital infrastructure and regulatory environment. The index evaluation considered multiple factors including connectivity quality and technology adoption rates.
Market research firm MarkNtel Advisors estimated the Saudi online gaming sector at 1.56 billion dollars in 2025 with expectations of growth to 3.2 billion dollars by 2032. The projection incorporates rising demand for low-latency experiences that the CST data now confirms are materializing. In parallel the IoT sector is set to expand from 3.06 billion dollars in 2026 to 4.33 billion dollars by 2031 according to MarketsandMarkets at a 7.2 percent compound annual growth rate.
The commission’s current findings build on latency evaluations it conducted in 2021 when it compared performance among major telecom providers for games such as Fortnite and FIFA. Those earlier measurements established benchmarks against which the 89 percent improvement can be measured. Continued investment in 5G networks and local content delivery has driven the observed progress. The latest edition expands coverage to include broader internet penetration and usage trends.
