
Wynn Resorts has been given permission to launch casino gambling in the United Arab Emirates. The introduction comes after being awarded the traditionally religious state’s first gambling license.
Las Vegas-based luxury casino resort operator Wynn Resorts announced the news on Friday, October 4. It was shortly thereafter confirmed by newly formed regulator The General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GGRA), speaking to local UAE media.
Wynn Resorts is currently building the Wynn Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah (development pictured). The rich but historically religious and conservative UAE has been rumored to be interested in limited casino resort gambling for years. Last year, it set up the GGRA and hired several top former U.S. gambling regulatory figures to head up the department.
Wynn’s rival Las Vegas-based operator, MGM Resorts International, has also applied for a license to build a casino at its planned resort in the Emirati capital of Abu Dhabi. However, Wynn has now won the first leg of the race with the award of its license.
The Casino Plans
Wynn Resorts began developing the Al Marjan Island resort earlier in 2024. It had already invested heavily in the idea before it was a certainty that gambling would become legal in the UAE. That gamble now looks like it is paying off.
Some economic analysts think the market could eventually rival Las Vegas in size if merely two or three casinos open, as is expected.
The $3.9 billion project isn’t entirely Wynn’s risk to bear. It is investing $1 billion, with its local partners Marjan and RAK Hospitality Holding providing the rest of the $2.9 billion needed to develop the huge luxury resort.
It is located about a 45-minute drive from Dubai, the Emirates’ largest city, and it is scheduled to open in 2027. Otherwise, details are fairly thin on the ground right now. Wynn is expected to provide more concrete information to shareholders in an investors update call on October 9, which is speculated to heavily focus on these UAE developments.
The Wider Outlook
As well as Wynn, rival Nevada-based MGM Resorts International is also eyeing legal gambling in the UAE.
It has applied for a casino gaming license for its planned multibillion resort property in Abu Dhabi. MGM CEO Bill Hornbuckle has previously told investors he expects three to four gambling licenses to be awarded in the country. The regulator handed out a lottery license to a Dubai-based company earlier this year.
However, interestingly, much like at U.S. tribal gaming operator Mohegan’s INSPIRE casino resort in Incheon, South Korea, casino gambling will be off-limits for native born citizens.
But since around 80% of the UAE’s total population was born elsewhere, that shouldn’t hit bottom lines too much. The UAE is also a huge market for rich tourists from all over the globe, but especially other parts of Asia.
Most Asian gambling markets are a tough nut for U.S. operators to crack. Licenses in Macau are very hard to come by, as they are in Singapore, with no new licenses given out in the past decade.

David is an online casino expert who specializes in online slots and boasts over 10 years experience writing about iGaming. He has written for a wide range of notable publications, including eSports Insider and WordPlay Magazine.
David graduated Derby University with a BA Degree in English Literature and Creative Writing.