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There was a time not so long ago where one could not even access the Gambling911.com website in the United Arab Emirates due to its "gambling-related" content and the fact that gambling of any kind has long been strictly forbidden in the Muslim majority nation. The site was also blocked on an overseas Emirates flight.
That's all about to change it seems. Well, at least to an extent.
The UAE introduced a new regulatory body to oversee commercial gaming early this week. That commission is made up of casino and gambling experts from the United States. Gambling is currently illegal in the UAE, where some laws are based on the Quran, which forbids the practice.
The new federal body, called the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), would create a “regulatory framework for a national lottery and commercial gaming,” according to Emirati state media WAM.
“[GCGRA will] facilitate unlocking the economic potential of commercial gaming responsibly,” WAM said.
Industry veterans Kevin Mullally and Jim Murren have been hired for key roles as CEO and chair respectively in the GCGRA, according to WAM.
Mullally is the Vice-President of Government Relations and General Counsel for Gaming Laboratories International, LLC (GLI). He lists his new job assignment in Abu Dhabi as "Chief Executive Officer" beginning the month of September 2023. He had previously served as Executive Director of the Missouri Gaming Commission.
Murren is a former MGM executive. Gambling911.com reported on his resignation from that gambling giant back in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Casino operator Wynn Resorts inked a deal last year to build a luxury resort in Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates with a “gaming area" but did not explicitly state that gambling would be permitted.
Craig Billings, CEO of Wynn Hotels, told shareholders in an earnings call on August 9 that the resort expects to have a license for gaming operations in Ras Al Khaimah “imminently.”
“There should be no concern that there is a broader legalization process in order for gaming to occur in that property,” Billings told shareholders.
Caesars Entertainment is well positioned to enter the gambling market here as well. They currently operated a non-gambling hotel in Dubai.
There's one problem with all of this that needs to be rectified rather quickly. 31/2021 (penal code) defines gambling games as agreements where losers commit to paying predetermined amounts to winners. Engaging in gambling can lead to imprisonment for up to two years or fines of up to AED fifty thousand (50,000).
Gambling would hardly be the first "sin" the UAE turns a blind eye to over the years.
The United Arab Emirates does allow for alcohol consumption despite by non-Muslims.
- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com
