Wynn Resorts, the Las Vegas-based hotel and casino operator, has been granted the UAE’s first commercial gaming operator’s license.
Wynn Resorts initially revealed the announcement on Friday and subsequently confirmed by the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) to the local media outlet Khaleej Times on Saturday.
Wynn Resorts is developing the $4 billion Wynn Al Marjan Island, the first integrated gaming resort in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Scheduled to open to the public in early 2027, this multi-billion-dollar project spans nearly 62 hectares and extends into the Arabian Gulf.
The GCGRA did not provide additional details regarding the license awarded to Wynn Resorts.
In its statement, Wynn Resorts mentioned that the ‘commercial gaming facility operator license’ has been issued to the ‘entity developing the Wynn Al Marjan Island resort in Ras Al Khaimah.’ This entity is a joint venture involving affiliates of Wynn Resorts, Marjan, and RAK Hospitality Holding.
The license was granted following a ‘diligent and extensive review’ conducted by the GCGRA. ‘Wynn Resorts thanks the GCGRA for the confidence and trust the license grant signifies and is proud to be the recipient of the first commercial gaming facility license in the UAE. We are currently constructing our resort in Ras Al Khaimah and look forward to being a key partner in the development of its tourism economy,’ the statement added.
This marks the second license issued by the GCGRA, an independent executive entity of the UAE federal government that oversees, licenses, and regulates all commercial gaming activities and facilities in the UAE. Earlier in July, the gaming authority awarded the license to operate the country’s first authorized lottery to Abu Dhabi-based The Game LLC.
While highly anticipated for its gaming offerings, Wynn Al Marjan Island will also feature a range of non-gaming amenities. The resort will comprise 1,542 rooms and suites, including 22 private villa estates. It will be the first Wynn Resort—among its six properties located in Las Vegas, Macau, and Boston Harbor—to be situated on a beach.
Construction of the project commenced in early 2023, with the 300-metre-tall resort tower expected to be topped off in the fourth quarter of 2025.
The GCGRA defines ‘commercial gaming’ as any game of chance, or a combination of chance and skill, ‘where an amount of money, in cash or cash equivalents, is wagered – i.e., placed as a bet – for the purpose of winning a sum of money or other valuable items.’ The GCGRA includes land-based gaming facilities among the specified gaming operators.
As previously reported by AGB, a UAE casino is expected to give Wynn exposure to a population of 10 million, with a per capita income of $77,000. This aligns well with Wynn’s high-end clientele and the design of its existing properties in Las Vegas and Macau.
Dan Wasiolek, a senior equity analyst at Morningstar, told AGB that Wynn’s plans in the UAE make sense as they extend the company into another international region, considering its existing properties in Las Vegas, Boston, and Macau. This project will enhance Wynn’s presence in the Middle East and Europe, meaning that 95 percent of the global population will be within an eight-hour flight of a Wynn property.
Meanwhile, according to estimates from Morgan Stanley, the UAE is viewed as a high-potential market due to its rapidly growing population of high-net-worth individuals and the limited supply of gaming venues. The market size is projected to reach between $3 billion and $5 billion annually in GGR, and the country’s favorable tax environment could result in attractive returns on investment.
