The US-based hotel operator MGM Resorts International has applied for a licence to operate a gaming facility in the UAE.
“Yes, we have (applied). We’ve done it in Abu Dhabi,” Bill Hornbuckle, CEO and president of MGM Resorts International, said during the Skift Global Forum 2024 recently. Hornbuckle said the application is pending approval with the federal government and he hoped to win the licence.
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This could be the second gaming resort opening up in the UAE. US hotel operator Wynn Resorts is developing an integrated gaming resort on Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah, which is scheduled to open in 2027, along with a local partner.
In September 2023, the UAE established the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) to introduce a world-leading regulatory framework for commercial gaming.
The GCGRA will create a socially responsible and well-regulated gaming environment, ensuring that all participants adhere to strict guidelines and comply with the highest standards. It will coordinate regulatory activities, manage licensing nationally, and facilitate unlocking the economic potential of commercial gaming responsibly.
It awarded the first licence to UAE Lottery to operate the country’s first authorised lottery operation.