Casinos in UAE: MGM Resorts submits licence application for Abu Dhabi casino
MGM chief executive Bill Hornbuckle has confirmed the move.
United Arab Emirates.- The US casino giant MGM Resorts has filed an application for a licence to operate a land-based casino in the United Arab Emirates. In a keynote at the Skift Global Forum in New York, MGM chief executive Bill Hornbuckle confirmed that the operator had a UAE casino licence application in Abu Dhabi.
While the UAE has created a federal gambling regulator, the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), Hornbuckle noted that the approval of casinos will come down to the opinion of the ruler of each individual emirate. He said he hoped to hear from Abu Dhabi later this year.
Hornbuckle seemed optimistic about the prospects of MGM’s application, noting that it has a “long history with the region”. It originally worked with Dubai World on the CityCenter project on the Las Vegas Strip, while MGM Resorts has a property under development with Hospitality and Leisure on Jumeirah Beach in Dubai.
Hornbuckle suggested that the Jumeirah could also accommodate a casino “if Dubai wants gaming”. Although he noted that the emirate has yet to form an opinion.
The GCGRA was established a year ago with Kevin Mullally, a veteran of US gambling regulation, as chief executive. Mullally spent 13 years at the Missouri Gaming Commission (MGC), serving as its executive director from 2000 to 2006. He then spent 17 years at Gaming Laboratories International (GLI), serving as general counsel, director of government relations and later vice president of government relations and general counsel.
So far, the UAE’s federal gambling regulator has only issued a lottery licence. The Game LLC, operating under the UAE Lottery name, was granted a licence to offer a range of lottery games. It has visited the site of Wynn’s development on Al Marjan Island, Ras Al-Khaimah, but has yet to respond to the licence application.
Wynn Al Marjan Island
Meanwhile, Wynn Resorts is developing an IR, Wynn Al Marjan Island, in Ras Al Khaimah. A representative previously said the company was assessing the required criteria to make a licence application and the GCGRA has reportedly visited the site, but no licence has yet been granted.
The complex is expected to feature 22 restaurants, lounges and bars, a theatre with in-house productions, a 15,000-square-metre shopping esplanade, a spa and a 7,500-square-metre meeting and events centre. Construction began in early 2023 under the direction of UAE-based main contractor ALEC Engineering and Contracting.
A week ago, the company announced Tom Roelens as chief operating officer (COO), David Patent as executive vice president of casino operations and Sherri DeSalvio as vice president of pre-opening planning and strategic initiatives. Roelens will oversee the IR’s non-gaming operations.
In a LinkedIn post, he said: “I am honoured and excited to join Max Tappeiner and the Wynn Al Marjan Island team. I am thankful to Craig Billings and Max for the opportunity and look forward to working with this world-class team to expand Wynn Resorts to a new territory as the first gaming operator in the UAE.”
