One Lottery Licence, One Casino Resort and 33 Suppliers: An Overview of Licensing by the UAE’s Federal Gambling Regulator GCGRA

File photo: Abu Dhabi skyline in the United Arab Emirates, photographed 2015-11-25. Geographic context for the UAE regulatory report; not the GCGRA offices, a licensed casino or a licensing announcement. Photo: Jannahplace / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Image source.

Figures compiled from the licensee list on GCGRA’s official website. Graphic: AskSpinner

The licensee list published on the official website of the UAE’s General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) shows that, at the time of publication, the country’s legal commercial gaming market consists of only one lottery operator, one land-based gaming facility operator, one operator holding both internet gaming and sports wagering licences, and 33 gaming-related vendors. Under GCGRA’s rules, anyone outside the list who engages in commercial gaming in the UAE is acting illegally, and players themselves are also subject to penalties.

Who Regulates It: The Exclusive Federal Regulator

GCGRA describes itself as an independent executive agency of the UAE federal government, established under a federal decree and headquartered in Abu Dhabi, with “exclusive jurisdiction to regulate, license and supervise all commercial gaming activities and facilities in the UAE.”

Its remit covers four categories: lotteries, internet gaming, sports wagering, and land-based integrated gaming facilities or resorts. GCGRA states on its website: “Engaging in any commercial gaming activity in the UAE without a licence is illegal, and violators, including those who participate in unlicensed games, will be subject to penalties.”

Five Types of Licence

GCGRA can issue five types of licence:

• Gaming operators: Internet gaming platforms, sports wagering, land-based gaming facilities, lotteries and lottery retailers;
• Gaming-related vendors: Providers of gaming equipment and related goods and services;
• Key persons (corporate entities): Entities with decision-making authority within an applicant’s or licensee’s ownership structure, such as controllers, affiliates and management service providers;
• Key persons (individuals): Directors, senior executives, controllers and others;
• Gaming employees.

The Licensee List: Almost One per Category

• Lottery: The sole lottery licence. GCGRA’s announcement of 9 December 2024 described it as the “only lottery licence permitted” under its regulatory framework. In addition, only two airport lottery-style operations that have been running for around 30 years were allowed to continue under its supervision. All other existing lotteries were denied permission to continue and had been ordered to close.
• Land-based gaming facilities: One.
• Internet gaming and sports wagering: One licence each, held by the same company.
• Gaming-related vendors: 33, covering slot machines and game content, lottery technology, sports data, geolocation and more.

The Crackdown on Unlicensed Operations: Risks for Players, Advertisers and Payment Providers

On 9 December 2024, GCGRA issued a consumer warning stating that players dealing with unlicensed operators face risks including financial loss, fraud, misuse of personal data, cybersecurity threats, and involvement in regulatory or criminal investigations. In the announcement, the then-chief executive warned that advertisers, payment processors and other service providers supporting these unlicensed businesses would face sanctions, potentially affecting their eligibility to operate in the UAE.

The federal laws listed on GCGRA’s website as directly or indirectly applicable to commercial gaming include Federal Decree-Law No. 10 of 2025 on anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing and counter-proliferation financing, together with its implementing Cabinet Regulation No. 134 of 2025; Cabinet Decision No. 74 of 2020 on terrorism lists; and Federal Decree-Law No. 7 of 2014 on combating terrorism offences.

Two Changes of Chief Executive Within a Year

• On 6 November 2025, GCGRA announced that its inaugural chief executive was stepping down, with the board chair temporarily taking on the chief executive role as well.
• On 9 June 2026, GCGRA appointed a former chief executive of a major Australian casino group as chief executive.
• On 14 August 2026, the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) signed a memorandum of understanding with GCGRA to cooperate on regulatory coordination, policy dialogue, investigative assistance and information exchange.
• Earlier, on 30 April 2025, GCGRA signed a memorandum of understanding with gaming regulators in the US state of New Jersey.

Conclusion

The UAE is following a model of “very few licences and unified federal regulation.” Almost every category has only one operating licence, while more than 30 supplier licences have been issued, indicating that the market is still being built and the supply chain is developing first. GCGRA’s position on offshore unlicensed platforms is clear: not only are operators acting illegally, but players, advertisers and payment providers also fall within the scope of enforcement.

This article covers only the UAE. The situation in other Middle Eastern countries requires a country-by-country review of their respective official sources and separate reporting.

Sources

• GCGRA licensee list: https://www.gcgra.gov.ae/en/licensing/our-licensees/
• GCGRA licence types: https://www.gcgra.gov.ae/en/licensing/license-types/
• Activities regulated by GCGRA: https://www.gcgra.gov.ae/en/commercial-gaming/activities-we-regulate/
• About GCGRA: https://www.gcgra.gov.ae/en/about-us/who-we-are/
• UAE federal laws applicable to GCGRA: https://www.gcgra.gov.ae/en/legislation-compliance/legislation/uae-federal-laws/
• GCGRA press release (2024-12-09, warning about unlicensed operators): https://www.gcgra.gov.ae/en/news/press-releases/december-2024-press-release-gcgra-issues-warning-against-unlicensed-lottery-and-gaming-operators/
• GCGRA press release (2025-11-06, leadership transition): https://www.gcgra.gov.ae/en/news/press-releases/november-2025-press-release-gcgra-announces-leadership-transition/
• GCGRA press release (2026-06-09, appointment of chief executive): https://www.gcgra.gov.ae/en/news/press-releases/june-2026-gcgra-appoints-ciaran-carruthers-as-chief-executive-officer/
• GCGRA press release (2026-08-14, memorandum with ADGM’s FSRA): https://www.gcgra.gov.ae/en/news/press-releases/august-2026-press-release-adgms-fsra-signs-memorandum-of-understanding-with-gcgra-to-strengthen-regulatory-cooperation/
• GCGRA press release (2025-04-30, memorandum with New Jersey): https://www.gcgra.gov.ae/en/news/press-releases/april-2025-press-release-gcgra-and-new-jersey-gaming-regulators-sign-mou-to-bolster-commercial-gaming-regulation/