UAE set to open first Casino in GCC
Hotel and casino operator Wynn Resorts will build a luxury resort in Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates with a “gaming area”, it said on Tuesday, potentially paving the way for gambling to be allowed in the Muslim Gulf state.
Wynn did not specify if gaming included gambling but in a sign that entertainment rules might be loosened, the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) said on Tuesday it had created a new Department of Entertainment and Gaming Regulation to regulate “integrated resorts”.
Diplomats have said the UAE could move to permit gambling as part of wider legislative reforms aimed at maintaining its edge as a tourism and business hub amid rising regional competition.
The Wynn resort, announced by Ras Al Khaimah authorities and Wynn, is set for completion in 2026. It will be located on Al Marjan, a man-made island off the coast of Ras Al Khaimah.
