An application has been made by the US-based hotel operator MGM Resorts International to operate a gaming facility in the United Arab Emirates.
“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.
This might be the UAE’s second gaming resort to open. Together with a local partner, American hotel operator Wynn Resorts is building an integrated gaming resort on Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah, with an opening date set for 2027.
The General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) was founded in the United Arab Emirates in September 2023 with the goal of establishing a globally superior regulatory framework for commercial gaming.
By enforcing strict rules and the highest standards, the GCGRA will establish a socially conscious and well-regulated gaming environment. It will facilitate the responsible unlocking of the economic potential of commercial gaming, manage licensing nationally, and coordinate regulatory activities.
