Is Emirates Lottery Real or Fake? The Prize Scam That Borrows the Name

Last updated: 11 November 2026

Is Emirates Lottery real or fake? There is no licensed UAE lottery called "Emirates Lottery". A Dubai regulator has formally warned that an "Emirates Lottery" used in prize-winner messages "does not exist". If an email, WhatsApp message or letter says you have won an Emirates Lottery prize and asks for a fee to release it, treat it as an advance-fee scam. The country's one licensed lottery is the UAE Lottery, run by The Game LLC.

Key takeaways

• No company or product called "Emirates Lottery" appears on the register of the UAE's federal gaming regulator, the GCGRA. Its only lottery licensee is The Game LLC, operator of the UAE Lottery.
• On 1 October 2017 the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) warned that an "Emirates Lottery 2017" was being used to tell people they had won US$1,000,000, and stated that it "does not exist".
• In October 2018, Gulf News reported a second DFSA alert about a fake "Emirates Lottery Foundation Promo" that also promised US$1 million.
• Both schemes asked "winners" to pay fees first: US$800 in the 2017 version, split into made-up certification, court-seal and endorsement fees.
• Real names that sound similar are different things. Emirates Draw stopped operating in the UAE on 1 January 2024. Emirates Loto was renamed Mahzooz in 2020, and Mahzooz has since permanently ceased operations.

Is the Emirates Lottery real or fake?

It is not a real UAE lottery. The test is simple. The General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), the federal body that licenses lotteries, publishes a register of every licensed company. On 4 November 2026 it listed one lottery licensee: "The Game LLC - Operator of the UAE Lottery". There is no Emirates Lottery on it.

In its December 2024 warning, the GCGRA also stated that The Game's licence "is the only lottery license permitted" under its framework. The only other draws allowed to continue were Big Ticket and Dubai Duty Free, two airport draws that predate the regulator. Every other pre-existing lottery was ordered to shut down.

So a message from "Emirates Lottery" is not from a licensed operator. Our broader guide to fake UAE lottery and casino apps covers app and website brands people search for. This page deals with the "you've won" message itself, which works differently: it asks for nothing up front except your attention, and then a fee.

What did the DFSA say about the Emirates Lottery scam?

The DFSA, which describes itself as "the independent regulator of financial services", has an alert on its website dated 1 October 2017 titled "False DFSA Documents Used to Promote Fake 'Emirates Lottery'". According to that alert, the scammers:

• told people they were "beneficiaries" of a "2017 Mobile Award" from the "Emirates Lottery 2017";
• sent a fake "Certificate of Award" for US$1,000,000;
• told them to submit it, plus a "Fund Release Order" supposedly issued by the DFSA, to a "National Bank of Dubai";
• demanded US$800 in fees for the release order, broken down as a US$550 certification fee, a US$100 court seal fee and a US$150 endorsement fee;
• used the DFSA chairman's name and a fake email address.

The DFSA's response was blunt. It does not issue any "Fund Release Order". The "Emirates Lottery 2017" "does not exist", so the certificate is a false document. And "there is no banking organisation in Dubai or in the United Arab Emirates called the 'National Bank of Dubai'".

A year later the name came back. Gulf News reported on 10 October 2018 that the DFSA had issued a new alert. This one was about fake documents for an "Emirates Lottery Foundation", again telling "winners" they had won US$1 million (Dh3.6 million) and again asking for an advance payment. The DFSA said the "Emirates Lottery Foundation Promo" does not exist in Dubai or the UAE. It said it does not get involved in any lottery, does not collect fees for transferring funds and does not issue "funds clearance certificates", according to the paper.

Alert — Fake name used — Promised prize — Fee asked

• DFSA, 1 Oct 2017 — "Emirates Lottery 2017" — US$1,000,000 — US$800 in three "fees"
• DFSA, Oct 2018 (per Gulf News) — "Emirates Lottery Foundation Promo" — US$1 million (Dh3.6m) — Advance payment for a "funds clearance certificate"

How does an "Emirates Lottery winner" email work?

The alerts describe a classic advance-fee fraud. The pattern has four steps:

1. The win you never entered. You are told you won a prize, often for your phone number or email address being "selected". You did not buy a ticket.
2. The official-looking paperwork. A certificate, a seal, a regulator's logo, a named official. In both DFSA cases the scammers borrowed the name of a real Dubai regulator to look credible.
3. The fee. Before the money can be "released", you must pay for a clearance, certification, court stamp, tax or transfer charge.
4. The next fee. Victims who pay are usually asked for more. The prize never arrives.

The step to watch is step 3. A licensed lottery does not charge you to receive a prize. The GCGRA's consumer advisory of 9 December 2024 also warns that illegal operators "frequently require sensitive personal and financial information, which can be misused for fraudulent purposes". So the passport scan or bank details the "lottery" asks for are part of the risk.

How is it different from Emirates Draw, Emirates Loto and the UAE Lottery?

Much of the confusion comes from real brands with similar names. Here is how they differ:

• The UAE Lottery is real and licensed. It is run by The Game LLC, the only lottery company on the GCGRA register. Our explainer on The Game LLC's lottery licence covers the details.
• Emirates Draw was a real UAE draw. It launched in September 2021, and its UAE operations ceased on 1 January 2024 to comply with the new GCGRA rules, Gulf News reported in May 2025. At that point it was running online outside the country through Tycheros, an Isle of Man-based company, and its website was restricted inside the UAE. Our page on whether Mahzooz and Emirates Draw will return tracks it.
• Emirates Loto was a real 2020 draw. iGaming Business reported on 28 July 2020 that it had paused operations three months after its first draw in April 2020. Gulf News reported in November 2020 that it had been rebranded as Mahzooz.
• Mahzooz no longer runs. Its website now states that it "has permanently ceased operations" and stays online only for information. Our Mahzooz results and app guide explains what you will find today.

None of these is the "Emirates Lottery" in a winner email. A message that names Emirates Draw or Mahzooz and asks for a fee is just as suspect, because neither operates in the UAE now.

What should you do if you get an Emirates Lottery message?

Do not reply, do not click links and do not pay. The DFSA's advice in 2017 was that you "do not respond to any communication regarding the scam" and that you should never send money in connection with it. Then:

• Check the register. The GCGRA's licensee page at gcgra.gov.ae lists every licensed lottery and gaming company. If the sender is not The Game LLC, Big Ticket or Dubai Duty Free, it is not a licensed draw.
• Report it. The GCGRA register page links to a complaints form for unlicensed gaming activity. If you have lost money, report it to the police as well.
• Know the law. Under Article 40 of the UAE's Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021 on cybercrimes, using fraud or false impersonation online to take someone's money is punishable by at least one year's imprisonment and/or a fine of Dh250,000 to Dh1 million. That is aimed at the scammer, not at you.
• If you did win a real draw, our guide to claiming a UAE Lottery prize explains the official route. If you are not sure whether a site or app is genuine, our unlicensed gaming checklist helps.

FAQ

Is there an Emirates Lottery in the UAE? No. No licensed lottery by that name exists. The GCGRA's only lottery licensee is The Game LLC, which runs the UAE Lottery. The DFSA has said the "Emirates Lottery" used in prize scams does not exist.

I got an email saying I won the Emirates Lottery. Is it real? No. The DFSA has issued alerts about this exact scheme, in which "winners" are asked to pay fees before receiving a US$1 million prize. Do not reply or pay.

Do real lotteries ask winners to pay a fee to release a prize? Not legitimate ones. Both DFSA alerts describe up-front fees, such as "fund release orders" or "funds clearance certificates", as part of the fraud. The DFSA says it issues neither.

Is Emirates Draw the same as Emirates Lottery? No. Emirates Draw was a real draw that ceased UAE operations on 1 January 2024. Gulf News reported in May 2025 that it was running only outside the country. It has no link to the "Emirates Lottery" scam messages.

Which lotteries are legal in the UAE? The UAE Lottery (The Game LLC) holds the only lottery licence. Big Ticket and Dubai Duty Free are authorised to continue under GCGRA supervision. Our guide to buying UAE lottery tickets online covers where each one sells tickets.

Further reading

• Fake UAE lottery and casino apps, checked
• Is Dream Dubai lottery real or fake?
• How to spot unlicensed gaming offers in the UAE
• How to claim a UAE Lottery prize
• Will Mahzooz and Emirates Draw return to the UAE?

Sources

• DFSA, "False DFSA Documents Used to Promote Fake 'Emirates Lottery'" (1 October 2017): https://www.dfsa.ae/alerts/false-dfsa-documents-used-promote-fake-emirates-lottery
• Gulf News, "Dh3.6m lottery scam targets UAE consumers" (10 October 2018): https://gulfnews.com/uae/crime/dh36m-lottery-scam-targets-uae-consumers-1.1458114
• GCGRA, "Our Licensees" (read 4 November 2026): https://www.gcgra.gov.ae/en/licensing/our-licensees/
• GCGRA, "GCGRA Issues Warning Against Unlicensed Lottery and Gaming Operators" (9 December 2024): https://www.gcgra.gov.ae/en/news/press-releases/december-2024-press-release-gcgra-issues-warning-against-unlicensed-lottery-and-gaming-operators/
• GCGRA, "GCGRA Consumer Advisory Notice" (9 December 2024): https://www.gcgra.gov.ae/en/news/gcgra-consumer-advisory-notice/gcgra-consumer-advisory-notice/
• UAE Legislation, Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021 on Countering Rumours and Cybercrimes, Article 40: https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1526
• Gulf News, "Emirates Draw reveals Dh100million lottery winner is Sriram Rajagopalan" (22 May 2025): https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/india/emirates-draw-reveals-first-global-winner-of-dh100m-lottery-1.500137132
• iGaming Business, "Emirates Loto pauses operations 3 months after launch" (28 July 2020): https://igamingbusiness.com/lottery/emirates-loto-pauses-operations-3-months-after-launch/
• Gulf News, "Inaugural draw of rebranded Emirates Loto postponed for another week" (21 November 2020): https://gulfnews.com/uae/inaugural-draw-of-rebranded-emirates-loto-postponed-for-another-week-1.75417025
• Mahzooz, official website (read 4 November 2026): https://www.mahzooz.ae/