UAE Awards its First Casino Gaming License

A joint venture led by Wynn Resorts has been awarded the UAE’s first casino gaming license. Wynn Al Marjan Island is scheduled to open its doors as the first casino in the UAE in early 2027.

The newly awarded license was announced on the Wynn Al Marjan Island project website last week, but wouldn’t have come as an enormous surprise to anyone. The integrated casino resort has been under construction since early 2023. In fact, earth was turned on the project before the UAE’s recently established gaming regulator (General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority, GCGRA) had been officially established.

Wynn Al Marjan Island

Wynn Al Marjan Island is a joint venture project between Wynn Resorts (40% stake) and local partners Marjan LLC and RAK Hospitality Holding LLC.

Wynn bring all the integrated casino resort design, construction and operational know how plus the Wynn brand. The other partners bring expertise in navigating (or expediting development of) the UAE regulatory environment.

The project is budgeted to cost $4 billion and is located on one of the Al Marjan Island’s.

Project renders show the characteristic Wynn bronzed glass face. Plans include 1,542 hotel rooms as well as 22 private villas for high rollers that will be located alongside a marina adjacent to the resort.

There’ll be a 12,000 square metre shopping esplanade filled with luxury boutiques, a 7,500 square metre convention and event centre, 22 distinct restaurants, lounges and bars and a five-star spa/salon.

The 300 metre tall main tower is expected to be topped off in the fourth quarter of 2025. Construction is already well advanced as the below picture taken in May this year shows.

Wynn Al Marjan Island establishes quite a few firsts.

It is the first recipient of a GCGRA Gaming Facility Operator license. It will become the first casino to operate in the UAE. It will become the first casino in the entire Middle East North Africa (MENA) region.

For Wynn Resorts, it’s their first beachside casino resort. Also their first casino resort located on an island (Wynn Macau’s situated in the old town, not on Cotai).

There is one second however. In July this year GCGRA awarded a lottery operator license to The Game LLC making the Wynn the recipient their 2nd operator license to be issued.

Al Marjan Island

Al Marjan Island is a group of 4 coral-shaped islands in an archipelago located in UAE’s northernmost Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah.

As is the UAE tendency, the islands are completely man-made. There are four of them: Breeze Island, Treasure Island, View Island and Dream Island.

Wynn Al Marjan Island will be located on the 62 hectare Dream Island which sits furthest right in the above pic. The unmistakeable circular marina can be seen in the below project render.

GCGRA

The UAE’s new gaming regulator, the GCGRA was officially established September 2023. United States casino industry executive Kevin Mullally was appointed as the founding CEO. Prior to the appointment Mullally had spent 17 years with Gaming Laboratories International (GLI).

Unsurprisingly GLI have been appointed as GCGRAs (only) independent testing laboratory.

GCGRA’s licensing guidelines provide for operator licenses being awarded under the following categories:

• Lottery operator (1 licensee – The Game LLC)
• Gaming facility operator  (1 licensee – Wynn Al Marjan Island)
• Internet gaming operator (no licensees as yet)
• Sports wagering operator (no licensees as yet)