Integrated Resort Opening 2027

Wynn Al Marjan Island has announced a major construction milestone, achieving structural completion for what is set to become the Middle East’s first fully integrated resort. While Sharia serves as a guiding principle, the UAE’s legal system is a hybrid structure that also incorporates elements of civil law to govern various aspects of public and private life. By now the UAE is a major global tourist destination known for its hospitality and cosmopolitan cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi and visitors are also expected to abide by local laws, including those regarding gambling. Meydan Racecourse and Jebel Ali Racecourse serve not only as venues for witnessing the majestic sport of horse racing but also as centers where limited forms of betting take place. It’s crucial to understand that any form of wagering conducted here is heavily regulated and operates within a legal framework designed to maintain the integrity of the sport and adhere to the country’s laws.

GCGRA granted new vendor licenses to Aristocrat and Smartplay, enhancing gaming equipment, lottery operations, and online gambling. Gambling remains prohibited in the Emirates, as it is across the Gulf, but the UAE’s gaming regulator has been set up to oversee and supervise commercial ‘gaming activities’. These include lottery, internet gaming, sports wagering and land-based integrated gaming centres or resorts. The UAE issued vendor licenses to betting app in uae key sports betting and iGaming technology firms, signaling active preparation for future online gambling operations. The UAE confirmed a policy to permit one licensed online gambling operator per emirate, subject to local approval, setting a controlled foundation for digital betting.

These cover average length of visitor stay and progression of the project’s supporting infrastructure. Construction has now transitioned from structural works into a full interior build-out. All 1,530 guest accommodations have reached structural completion with interior fit-outs underway across 1,504 rooms and suites. Facade installation on the main tower is 79 per cent complete while surrounding low-rise buildings have reached 99 per cent structural completion. The government will enforce strict controls, such as betting limits, to prevent gambling addiction. Illegal gambling will continue to face heavy penalties, maintaining Dubai’s reputation as a safe, controlled environment.

Momentum Gaming begins hiring for future online casino and sportsbook operations, anticipating regulatory green light for digital gambling in the UAE. An earlier version of this article misstated that gaming revenues expected from the Wynn Al Marjan Island resort would represent around 90 percent of total revenue. If you find any form of gambling related to casinos, make sure it is licensed by the gaming regulator.

Hear directly from industry leaders such as Craig Billings, CEO of Wynn Resorts, Bill Hornbuckle, CEO of MGM, or Bruno Ascenção, a gambling lawyer in Macau, as they share their views on the future of gambling in the UAE. There are several projects in Dubai and nearby areas that are already awaiting licenses, which could pave the way for the introduction of casinos in the region. The UAE has recently made strides towards regulating certain forms of gambling, and casinos are awaiting license approval. Our team’s latest report on UAE gambling showcases the major events of 2024, the trends for 2025, and the big picture of what’s ahead for the UAE gaming industry. One of the operators at the time said the pause was the result of an “industrywide mandate” that was consistent with the new role to create a well-regulated gaming environment in the country. In July, regulators in the UAE were awarded a licence for the country’s first authorised lottery.

Since its formation, the GCGRA has sought to develop a regulatory framework to protect consumers and stakeholders. "We are underway with the construction of our resort in Ras Al Khaimah and look forward to being a key partner in the development of its tourism economy." "Wynn Resorts thanks the GCGRA for the confidence and trust the licence grant signifies and is proud to be the recipient of the first commercial gaming facility licence in the UAE. Guests will discover 24 thoughtfully planned restaurants, lounges, a beach club, and nightclub. In both fine- and casual-dining restaurants, outstanding culinary experiences have been planned amid environments that are simply stunning, with menus and interiors conceived and created by highly acclaimed, legendary chefs and designers.

PayBy has received a GCGRA license, making it the first fintech company authorized to provide financial services to the UAE’s casino industry. Everything you need to know about the casinos in and around Dubai.Whether you’re curious about the current casino scene in Dubai, seeking legal information, or exploring available options, we’ve got you covered. The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, thefunds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive. “Commercial gaming” refers to “any game of chance, or combination of chance and skill, where an amount of money, in cash or cash equivalents, is wagered – placed as a bet – for the purpose of winning a sum of money or other valuable items”. The $3.8 billion Wynn Al Marjan Island resort in Ras Al Khaimah will seek to "capture untapped domestic gaming demand" from the UAE’s large expatriate community as well as draw in "high-end gaming clientele from abroad", the report states.

Welcome to Wynn Al Marjan Island

Several dining and lounge venues have been positioned along a picturesque terrace to highlight views of the poolscape, beach, and the glittering Arabian Gulf. Wynn Al Marjan Island will also be a passive profit generator of sorts for the parent company. Wynn therefore expects casino-driven guests to behave much more like Macau-style high-frequency, short-stay gamblers rather than Dubai holidaymakers.

Attendees poured the final concrete and received commemorative steel bars taken from the structure. Once the spire is installed in 2026, the tower will reach its full architectural height of 352 metres, making it the tallest man-made structure in Ras Al Khaimah by more than 100 metres. In Dubai, an ambitious project called ‘The Island’ plans to host names like MGM, Bellagio, and Aria, which have a strong casino culture.

• PayBy has received a GCGRA license, making it the first fintech company authorized to provide financial services to the UAE’s casino industry.
• The new deck lays out more detail around gaming demand, including projected length of stay for Wynn Al Marjan visitors.
• Net property revenue is expected to come in between $1.38 billion and $1.88 billion, which includes net gaming revenues and non-gaming revenues.
• “Commercial gaming” refers to “any game of chance, or combination of chance and skill, where an amount of money, in cash or cash equivalents, is wagered – placed as a bet – for the purpose of winning a sum of money or other valuable items”.
• The legal status of gambling in Dubai and the broader UAE is deeply intertwined with the principles of Sharia, which serve as a foundational source for the country’s legislation and moral guidelines.

The economic benefits will be “massive”, stimulating foreign direct investment and employment, Raki Phillips, chief executive of the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, previously told The National. Wynn owns 40% of the UAE project and thus isn’t responsible for the entirety of the $5.1 billion cost of construction. The upcoming resort will have 224,000 square feet of gaming floor area, or 4 percent of the total space in the hotel. Wynn is projecting that the average length of stay at the UAE resort will be 1.2 nights.

Casino Ras Al Khaimah: Status, Photos & Overview 2025

Key construction milestones to date include the completion of the tower’s structural concrete, full structural Here completion of guest accommodation, near completion of low-rise structures and more than 438,000 cubic metres of concrete poured. Like online casinos, dubai betting sites are subject to regulatory oversight and must adhere to local laws. The first approved option is Play971, currently the only fully licensed online casino and sportsbook in the UAE.

Some analysts believe that with contributions from other integrated resorts in the future, the UAE could be a $3 billion to $5 billion market in terms of annual gross gaming revenue (GGR). That’s based on the assumption that the country will approve other casino licenses in the future, though it’s widely believed Wynn Al Marjan will be the only game in town for several years. Wynn Resorts has confirmed that it has been awarded the UAE’s first commercial gaming license.

Wynn estimates the UAE casino hotel could contribute $265 million to $460 million in yearly earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) and fees, though some on Wall Street view that forecast as restrained. Wynn has not published its net gaming revenue figure, which also takes taxes and discounts into account, but its gross gaming revenue could be as high as $1.66 billion. While a length of stay of 1.2 nights seems short, Wynn contextualises it by comparing it to Macau (1.2 to 1.5 nights) and US regional resorts (1 to 1.5 nights). The new deck lays out more detail around gaming demand, including projected length of stay for Wynn Al Marjan visitors. The $5 billion project remains one of the largest private developments in the UAE and an anchor of Ras Al Khaimah’s transformation agenda. The Wynn Al Marjan Island resort, which is on track to open in early 2027, has clearer projections on how the UAE’s first casino will perform.

Wynn says the tower is structurally complete, with the laying of concrete finished, all guest-room structures built and interior room fit-outs underway. In parallel, Wynn Resorts and Marjan are advancing a second joint venture on Al Marjan Island, Janu Al Marjan Island, which was announced in November 2025 and is now under construction. The project will bring Aman Group’s Janu brand to Ras Al Khaimah, with an opening planned for late 2028. A recent Dubai Casino survey shows that over half (54%) of respondents are eager to attract new tourists through casino gaming, with hopes to boost Ras Al Khaimah’s tourism and drive economic growth.