The recently formed General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is making its presence known by requiring all operators in the region to suspend operations effective January 1. This includes popular lottery operators such as Mahzooz and Emirates Draw, with no timeframe for the suspension of play having been given yet.
“We’ve temporarily paused our activities from January 1st, 2024, to enhance your gaming experience in line with the latest directives from the UAE Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), with the aim to establish a well-regulated gaming environment in the UAE. Stay tuned for exciting updates!” Emirates Draw said in an announcement on its Facebook page on New Year’s Eve. Competitor Mahzooz states in an updated version of its FAQs that “The pause is a result of an industry-wide mandate consistent with the Regulators’ new role to create a well-regulated gaming environment in the United Arab Emirates.”.
Neither company has said how long this pause will last or when play can resume. While Mahzooz appears to have closed its draws for all players, Emirates Draw is only excluding customers based in the UAE. Its head of commercial Paul Chader told local media that his firm was “very pleased” with the introduction of the GCGRA and is looking forward to working with the regulator. He went on to state that the temporary pause affects players from inside the UAE in line with regulatory directives. The difference in opinion between the two companies in this regard seems to indicate at least some level of regulatory uncertainty when it comes to what is and what isn’t permitted at the moment.
There has been no word from the GCGRA yet, a regulator that was only established late last year and is seemingly wasting no time when it comes to changing things up. The authority is tasked with creating a socially responsible gaming environment and ensuring that companies stick to local rules and comply with highest standards. While gambling is generally forbidden under local laws, lottery companies were so far able operate with exceptions granted by the Ministry of Economy. With this latest move, it appears things are changing and we will likely see a new licensing framework emerging soon.
