“So where’s the casino in Dubai?” I get asked this far more often than you might think. The short answer: there is no casino in Dubai. But the old line “gambling is banned in the Emirates” isn’t the whole truth any more. Since 2023 the country has had a regulator, a lottery and licensed online betting, and the first casino resort is being built in Ras Al Khaimah.
Here’s what is allowed as of October 2026, what still isn’t, and when Wynn Al Marjan Island opens. No advice to gamble: my aim is simply that you don’t break the law on holiday by accident.
In short: what is and isn’t allowed
| What | Status in October 2026 | For a tourist |
|---|---|---|
| Casinos in Dubai | none | not applicable |
| Wynn Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah | licensed, opening September 2027 | after it opens |
| UAE Lottery | licensed since 2024 | UAE residents aged 18+ only |
| Play971 online betting | licensed since December 2025 | 21+, in the UAE, Emirates ID required |
| Foreign online casinos and bookmakers | illegal | don’t use them |
| Playing for money among friends | prohibited by law | not worth it |
How it used to be
For a long time gambling in the UAE was simply banned. The Penal Code defines gambling as a game in which the loser promises to pay the winner, and punishes it with imprisonment or a fine. Opening a gambling venue is a separate offence, and gambling debts can’t be enforced in court.
The exceptions were draws such as Mahzooz and Emirates Draw. But on 1 January 2024 they too paused their operations in the UAE: the country had a new regulator, and the market was being rebuilt around its rules.
The GCGRA: a regulator since 2023
In September 2023 the UAE created the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), a federal body that licenses and supervises all commercial gaming in the country: lotteries, betting, online games and land-based casinos.
The core rule: any commercial gaming without a GCGRA licence is illegal. That applies to players too: you may not play through unlicensed operators either.
By December 2025 the regulator had issued 19 licences. One is for the lottery, one for a land-based casino (Wynn Al Marjan), one for online gaming and betting (Play971), and the rest for suppliers of gaming equipment and software.
Wynn Al Marjan Island: the UAE’s first casino
This is a resort by the American company Wynn Resorts on Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah, the northern emirate by the Hajar Mountains. Wynn owns 40% of the project; its partners are the local Marjan and RAK Hospitality Holding.
What we know:
- The licence. In October 2024 the GCGRA gave the project the UAE’s first licence for a commercial gaming venue, before construction had finished.
- The opening date. In August 2026, with its second-quarter results, Wynn named September 2027. Earlier the company had been aiming for early 2027.
- Why it moved. Wynn’s management pointed to logistics and supply chains in the region and to rising costs for materials and shipping.
- The cost. About 5.7 billion US dollars, 600 million more than the previous estimate.
- What’s inside. 1,542 rooms in a 70-storey tower, 22 restaurants, bars and lounges, a beach club with its own beach, a spa, boutiques, a kids’ club, a marina and the casino.
Who will be allowed to play in the casino, from what age and with which documents hasn’t been officially announced yet. Those rules will come closer to the opening, so don’t trust websites that are already “selling” tables and packages.
Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah, where the Wynn resort is being built. Photo: Tashmetova808, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
The UAE Lottery
On 28 July 2024 the GCGRA issued its first licence, to The Game LLC, which operates under the UAE Lottery brand. The first Lucky Day draw took place on 14 December 2024 with a top prize of 100 million dirhams. The game format has changed since then.
What matters for visitors: under the operator’s rules, only UAE residents aged 18 and over can take part. If someone messages you saying “you’ve won the UAE lottery, just pay the fee”, it’s a scam. I wrote about schemes like this separately: tourist scams in Dubai.
The Emirates did have lotteries before, just without a single regulator. In 2020 I “won a lottery” myself and wrote a post about it. Not a million dollars, though: a shirt, and it turned out to be a men’s one.
Online betting: Play971
In December 2025 Coin Technology Projects LLC, with its Play971 site, received the licences for online gaming and sports betting. It is the first and so far the only legal online operator in the country. The conditions:
- you must be 21 or over;
- you can only play while you are in the UAE;
- VPNs and other ways of hiding your location are banned, and winnings aren’t paid out if you break this rule;
- identity checks require an Emirates ID.
Foreign casino and betting sites are illegal in the UAE, even if they open through a VPN.
Will Dubai and Abu Dhabi get casinos?
There are no official decisions, only media reports. In November 2023 Bloomberg wrote that Dubai had dropped the idea of a casino: the city is already one of the world’s main tourist hubs. At the same time it reported that Abu Dhabi was considering two sites, Yas Island and a plot near the port. A model of “no more than one licence per emirate”, if an emirate chooses to apply, was also discussed.
These aren’t announced plans but reports citing sources. For now the only licensed casino is in Ras Al Khaimah, and it hasn’t opened yet.
What tourists should know
- Don’t play for money in your hotel, on a yacht or at a desert camp, even “just among friends”. The law makes no exception for private groups.
- Don’t use foreign betting apps in the UAE. It’s illegal, and if something goes wrong there’s no one to get your money back from.
- “Casino tours” and “VIP tables at Wynn” sold before the official opening are a red flag.
- Horse racing and sport are well worth watching: events in the UAE make a great part of a trip, no betting required.
- If gambling stops feeling like a game, it’s better to stop and talk to a professional.
Ras Al Khaimah without the casino
Even without a casino, Ras Al Khaimah is worth the trip: the Jebel Jais mountains, beaches, old forts and quiet resorts. I’ve put together what to see in Ras Al Khaimah: things to do, and how the emirates differ from each other in my guide to the seven emirates of the UAE.
How I can help
I don’t organise gambling or book casinos. What I can do is show you the Emirates beyond Dubai: plan a day in the northern emirates, run a Dubai city tour or a day in Abu Dhabi with hotel pickup. Send me your dates and what interests you.
This isn’t legal or investment advice: rules and prices change, so check them before you commit to anything.
Checked on 11 October 2026. Sources: Gulf News, Khaleej Times, The National, Euronews, InterGame, WH Partners (Mondaq).
Practical answers
Frequently asked questions
Is there a casino in Dubai?
No. As of October 2026 there is no legal casino in Dubai. The only casino licence issued in the UAE belongs to the Wynn Al Marjan Island resort in Ras Al Khaimah, which is still under construction.
When does the Wynn casino in Ras Al Khaimah open?
Wynn Resorts has named September 2027 as the opening date. The date has moved before, so check the company's official announcements before you travel.
Is gambling legal in the UAE?
Only with operators licensed by the federal regulator, the GCGRA. Any commercial gaming without a licence is illegal, and not only the organiser but also the player can be punished.
Can tourists play the UAE Lottery?
Under the operator's rules, only UAE residents aged 18 and over can take part. For a tourist without residency it is not an option.
Is online betting legal in the UAE?
Only on the licensed Play971 site, from age 21 and while physically in the UAE; identity checks require an Emirates ID. Foreign betting and casino sites are illegal in the UAE.
Will Abu Dhabi or Dubai get a casino?
There are no official decisions. In 2023 Bloomberg reported that Dubai had shelved the idea of a casino and that Abu Dhabi was considering sites. These are media reports, not announced plans.
