The UAE is building its first legal, regulated gaming market from scratch — and the centrepiece is Wynn Al Marjan Island, a $5.1 billion integrated resort rising in Ras Al Khaimah. For investors, operators and anyone tracking the region’s next big tourism story, here is what is actually confirmed so far, separated from the speculation.
Related: our full Ras Al Khaimah guide covers everything else happening in the emirate — beaches, adventure, nightlife and more.
The Regulator: How the UAE Licenses Gaming
Commercial gaming in the UAE is overseen by the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), a federal body headquartered in Abu Dhabi with exclusive jurisdiction to license and supervise lottery, internet gaming, sports wagering and land-based gaming facilities nationwide. Federal Decree-Law No. 25/2025, effective 1 June 2026, provides the legal foundation for this framework. The GCGRA has deliberately built a small, tightly controlled licensee pool, drawing regulatory leadership from veterans of New Jersey and Las Vegas oversight bodies, with bank-grade anti-money-laundering checks, mandatory deposit limits, cooling-off periods and responsible-gaming programmes built in from day one rather than added later.
Wynn Al Marjan Island: The Flagship Project
Wynn Al Marjan Island is a $5.1 billion (AED 18.7 billion) integrated resort under construction on Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah, and it will be the UAE’s first facility with a regulated commercial casino. The GCGRA issued the project’s Commercial Gaming Facility Operator licence in October 2024. By 31 March 2026, Wynn Resorts’ cash contributions to the project had reached $1.01 billion (AED 3.7 billion).
The resort topped out in December 2025, with its tower reaching its full structural height of 283 metres across 70 floors; the signature spire is due to finish in 2026. As of mid-2026, construction milestones include 100% of the tower’s structural concrete and guest-room structure complete, around 79% of tower facade panels installed, and hotel room interior fit-out underway throughout. The resort spans more than 60 hectares and will offer 1,530 total guest accommodations — 1,217 resort rooms and 297 “Enclave” suites (a hotel-within-a-hotel concept with its own entrance, pool and restaurant), plus two Royal Apartments, four Garden Townhomes and 10 Marina Estates.
Dining will run to 22 restaurants and lounges, including a Las Vegas import in Delilah (a no-cameras supper club with live music) and a two-floor, roughly 1,820-square-metre steakhouse from chef Alain Ducasse. Facilities include a 420-metre white-sand beach, 12 pools, a spa, a deep-water marina designed for superyachts, the Coral Court events venue (with a 2,633 sqm column-free ballroom), and entertainment anchored by Sea of Dreams (a UAE-scaled version of the Las Vegas “Lake of Dreams” show) and an original MENA-debut production from the immersive-theatre company Punchdrunk.
Opening Timeline: Why It Has Slipped
Wynn Al Marjan Island was originally targeted for a spring 2027 opening. In May 2026, Wynn Resorts CEO Craig S. Billings told investors the project would likely see a “modest delay” tied to the regional conflict earlier in the year — the same February-March 2026 US-Israel-Iran escalation that hit UAE tourism more broadly. “We do expect a modest delay in our opening timeline, and I expect that we will quantify that in the coming months,” Billings said on an earnings call, as reported by Khaleej Times. An updated date had not been formally confirmed as of this writing, so treat any specific 2027 month as provisional until Wynn Resorts issues an update.
Why It Matters: The $5 Billion Question
Wynn Al Marjan Island is a test case for whether the UAE can turn regulated gaming into a mainstream part of its tourism economy without diluting the family-friendly, alcohol-light positioning that much of the country has built its brand on. Ras Al Khaimah, historically the quieter, budget-friendly emirate next to Dubai, stands to be transformed by the project into a genuine luxury and gaming destination in its own right, competing for the same high-net-worth traveller that Dubai and Abu Dhabi already chase. For investors, the GCGRA’s cautious, small-licensee-pool approach signals that the UAE intends to grow this market slowly and selectively rather than open the floodgates — more Singapore than Macau.
Frequently Asked Questions
Commercial gaming is now legal and regulated under the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), a federal body created to license and supervise lottery, internet gaming, sports wagering and land-based gaming facilities. Wynn Al Marjan Island holds the UAE’s first Commercial Gaming Facility Operator licence.
It was originally targeted for spring 2027, but Wynn Resorts’ CEO said in May 2026 to expect a “modest delay” tied to the regional conflict earlier that year. A firm revised date has not yet been announced.
It is a $5.1 billion (AED 18.7 billion) integrated resort. Wynn Resorts’ own cash contribution had reached $1.01 billion by 31 March 2026.
1,530 total guest accommodations: 1,217 resort rooms, 297 Enclave suites, two Royal Apartments, four Garden Townhomes and 10 Marina Estates.
The General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), established under Federal Decree-Law No. 25/2025, headquartered in Abu Dhabi with nationwide jurisdiction.
