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According to its chairman, Jim Murren, the GCGRA is giving more priority to operators currently under its jurisdiction than to expanding the market. Murren answered questions regarding additional UAE IR licenses in Dubai on November 20 at the Skift Global Forum East, as he told of a more deliberate pace in the market’s expansion.
Murren is also the chief executive officer of Ritz Carlton Yachts. He was rather candid regarding the approach of the GCGRA. The authority so far has granted licenses to The Game to operate the UAE Lottery and to Wynn Resorts for a land-based gaming facility in Ras Al-Khaimah. A third supplier license was granted to the local payments provider PayBy.
No Rush for MGM or Others
While larger operators like MGM Resorts would like to follow Wynn’s lead, Murren indicated the regulator will not rush the licensing process. During an event at Skift back in September, MGM Resorts CEO Bill Hornbuckle said the company hopes to build a resort in Abu Dhabi as the company has filed for a license.
Fielding questions about rushing the timeline for 2025 licensing, Murren was judicious:
“The process has been moving very deliberately here. The government has emphasized establishing a highly compliant and world-class regulatory framework. We’re not going to rush that.”
Murren added that future licenses would likely roll out gradually, with an emphasis on supporting the operators already licensed and ensuring the lottery’s success.
A Head Start for Wynn Resorts
The UAE’s first integrated resort, Wynn Al-Marjan Island, will make its debut in Q1 2027, thereby giving it quite a leap ahead of others yet to join the market. Murren expressed praise for the vision of Ras Al-Khaimah’s leadership in partnering with Wynn Resorts to create a project poised to boost the regional economy.
This is an unbelievable resort that will have a tremendous economic effect not only on Ras Al-Khaimah but also on the wider region.”
The UAE: A Future Sports and Entertainment Hub?
He also drew parallels between the UAE’s sports and entertainment potential and what happened to Las Vegas during the past three decades. The veteran gaming executive and former MGM Resorts executive remembered how Vegas evolved from a “sports desert” into a professional leagues hotbed.
The UAE, he said, is on a similar path, with its infrastructure investments and private sector moves, such as integrated resorts.
The growth of sports and entertainment in the UAE and Middle East reminds me of what I saw in Las Vegas 30 years ago.”
PayBy Gets Vendor License
The regulator has recently granted vendor licence to payments provider, PayBy, which is owned by Dubai-headquartered Astra Tech, in addition to existing licences to The Game and Wynn Resorts. This marks the first licensing of a payments provider in the gaming sector by the regulator.
PayBy joins a growing list of approved suppliers which includes SmartPlay International and Aristocrat. SmartPlay, known for powering major lotteries such as PowerBall and the UK National Lottery, appears to be supporting The Game’s diverse lottery offerings.
A Deliberate Path Forward
With a focus on making sure there is a robust regulatory framework for sustainable growth, it positions the UAE to become a global leader in gaming, sports, and entertainment over the next decade. For now, operators and suppliers will need to fall in line with the authority’s vision of a methodical, world-class gaming market.
