Casino in Ras Al Khaimah: Wynn Al Marjan Island, the 2027 Opening and What Comes Next

Last updated: 7 August 2026

Ras Al Khaimah is home to the UAE's only licensed land-based casino: Wynn Al Marjan Island, a US$5.1 billion resort under construction on a man-made island off the emirate's coast. It is not open yet. The official opening window is 2027, after Wynn confirmed a "modest delay" in May 2026, and no other casino in the emirate is licensed. This guide covers what exists, when it opens, how to get there and whether a second RAK casino is coming.

Key takeaways

• The only licensed casino in Ras Al Khaimah is Wynn Al Marjan Island, whose operating entity received the UAE's first commercial gaming facility licence from the GCGRA on 4 October 2024.
• No casino is open in RAK today. The resort opens in 2027; Wynn dropped the earlier first-quarter target after confirming a "modest delay" on 7 May 2026.
• The casino sits on Al Marjan Island, roughly 80 km from Dubai: about an hour's drive from central Dubai, or 15 minutes from RAK International Airport.
• Construction is advanced: all 1,530 accommodation structures were complete with fit-out under way as of July 2026, and the gaming floor is planned at roughly 225,000 square feet, larger than Wynn Las Vegas.
• Entry rules are not yet published. No minimum age, dress code or entry fee for the casino floor has been confirmed by Wynn or the regulator.
• Wynn remains the only land-based casino licensee on the GCGRA register. A second Al Marjan Island resort has been applied for by Galaxy Entertainment Group, per our project tracking, but no second licence has been granted.

Is there a casino in Ras Al Khaimah?

There is one licensed casino in Ras Al Khaimah, and it is not open yet: Wynn Al Marjan Island, the only land-based casino licensee in the UAE. On 4 October 2024 the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), the federal regulator for all commercial gaming, issued the country's first Commercial Gaming Facility Operator licence to Island 3 AMI FZ-LLC, the joint venture building the resort. As of the register's April 2026 check, that licence is still the only one of its kind in the country.

Nothing else in the emirate is licensed. RAK's existing hotels, including the eight already operating on Al Marjan Island itself, run without gaming. Any venue, app or website claiming to offer a casino in Ras Al Khaimah today is unlicensed, and unlicensed gambling remains a criminal offence in the UAE, as our guide to spotting unlicensed gaming offers explains.

When does the Ras Al Khaimah casino open?

September 2027. Wynn Resorts confirmed the month with its Q2 2026 results on 4 August 2026, after chief executive Craig Billings had flagged a "modest delay" on the 7 May 2026 earnings call and promised to quantify it "in the coming months". Against the old "first quarter 2027" language, the slip is roughly two quarters, caused by shipping and logistics disruption linked to the regional conflict.

The construction record supports Wynn's insistence that the delay is small. The tower topped out in December 2025, all 1,530 accommodation structures were complete with room fit-out under way by July 2026, and more than 22,000 workers remain on site. The casino opens with the resort as a whole; Wynn has given no separate date for the gaming floor. The full timeline, including what was said on the May call, is tracked in our Wynn Al Marjan opening date explainer.

Where exactly is the RAK casino, and how do you get there?

The casino is on Al Marjan Island, a cluster of four coral-shaped artificial islands off Al Hamra, on the southwestern coast of Ras Al Khaimah facing Dubai. It is roughly 80 km from Dubai: about an hour to an hour and a quarter by car from central Dubai, 45 to 50 minutes from Dubai International Airport on a clear run, and about 15 minutes from RAK International Airport, which opens a dedicated VVIP terminal in Q1 2027 timed to the resort.

The journey is about to get shorter. The 548-metre Wynn Bridge, 48 per cent complete as of February 2026 and due to finish in late 2026, will connect the resort directly to the E311 and E611 highways via the new Wynn Boulevard. Buses from Dubai to RAK city cost around AED 27 to 30 but stop short of the island, so a taxi is needed for the last leg. Route-by-route detail, including buses, taxis and the airport options, is in our guide to getting to Wynn Al Marjan Island from Dubai.

What will the resort include?

Wynn Al Marjan Island is a US$5.1 billion integrated resort with 1,530 guest accommodations, 22 dining and lounge venues, a beach club and 12 pools. The casino itself is planned at roughly 225,000 square feet of gaming space, deliberately larger than the floor at Wynn Las Vegas, according to Wynn's own filings.

What is not yet known are the house rules. As of August 2026 neither Wynn nor the GCGRA has published a minimum age, dress code, entry fee or locals policy for the casino floor; the 21-and-over figure quoted online comes from the terms of the UAE's licensed online platforms, not from any casino rule. Our explainer on Wynn Al Marjan entry age, dress code and entry rules separates what is confirmed from what is guesswork, and the full resort breakdown sits on our Wynn Al Marjan Island profile.

Will there be other casinos in Ras Al Khaimah?

None is licensed today, but two developments point to a possible second resort. As of the GCGRA's April 2026 register, Wynn's operating entity remains the sole land-based casino licensee in the UAE, and Wynn stated in October 2024 that it holds an exclusive, renewable 15-year casino licence for Ras Al Khaimah. The trade press has also reported, though the GCGRA has never confirmed, a licensing model of one land-based casino per emirate, which our one casino per emirate explainer covers in full.

Against that, Wynn and its local partners already hold land for a second integrated resort with a casino in RAK: GGRAsia reported the agreement in September 2025, and Gaming America reported in January 2026 that nearly 600,000 square feet had been earmarked. Separately, Galaxy Entertainment Group confirmed in May 2026 that it had filed a licence application for a second Al Marjan Island resort aimed at Asian source markets, per our Galaxy Al Marjan resort profile; we have not found independent trade-press corroboration of that filing, and no second licence appears on the GCGRA register. Also on the island, the Aman group's Janu Al Marjan Island opens in late 2028 with no casino announced, as our Janu Al Marjan report notes. Until the register changes, Wynn is the only licensed game in the emirate.

FAQ

Is the RAK casino open now? No. One casino is licensed but not yet open: Wynn Al Marjan Island, the UAE's only land-based casino licensee, opening in 2027. No casino operates in the emirate today.

When is the RAK casino opening date? 2027, with no month or quarter confirmed. Wynn acknowledged a "modest delay" on 7 May 2026 and dropped its earlier first-quarter target; a revised date had not been published as of early August 2026.

How far is the Ras Al Khaimah casino from Dubai? About 80 km, or roughly an hour's drive from central Dubai. RAK International Airport is about 15 minutes from the island, and a direct highway bridge is due to finish in late 2026.

Is the casino in RAK or Dubai? Ras Al Khaimah. Dubai has no licensed casino of its own, as our Dubai casino guide explains; the Wynn resort is the nearest legal casino to the city.

How old do you have to be to enter the RAK casino? Not yet confirmed. Neither Wynn nor the GCGRA has published a minimum age for the casino floor; the licensed online platforms set 21, but no casino rule exists yet.

Will there be a second casino in Ras Al Khaimah? Possibly, but nothing is licensed. Wynn's partners hold land for a second resort, and Galaxy Entertainment has applied for a licence per our project tracking; the GCGRA register still lists only Wynn.

Further reading

• Wynn Al Marjan opening date explained
• How to get to Wynn Al Marjan Island from Dubai
• Wynn Al Marjan casino entry age, dress code and entry rules
• One casino per emirate? How the reported licensing model works
• Is there a casino in Dubai in 2026?

Sources

• Wynn Resorts, "Wynn Al Marjan Island" official website: https://wynnalmarjanisland.com/
• GCGRA, "Our Licensees": https://www.gcgra.gov.ae/en/licensing/our-licensees/
• GGRAsia, "Wynn says to have 15yr casino licence for Ras Al Khaimah" (9 October 2024): https://www.ggrasia.com/wynn-says-to-have-15yr-casino-licence-for-ras-al-khaimah
• Khaleej Times, "Wynn Al Marjan could see 'modest delay' in opening next year due to regional conflict" (9 May 2026): https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/wynn-al-marjan-could-see-a-modest-delay-in-opening-next-year-due-to-regional-conflict
• iGaming Business, "Wynn confirms delay to UAE resort and a Macau expansion after positive Q1 results" (8 May 2026): https://igamingbusiness.com/finance/quarterly-results/wynn-resorts-mixed-q1/
• Wynn Resorts newsroom, "Wynn Al Marjan Island Advances Landmark Infrastructure with the Construction of Wynn Bridge" (2 February 2026): https://www.newsroom.wynnresorts.com/en/wynnalmarjan/wam-pressreleases/wynn-al-marjan-island-advances-landmark-infrastructure-with-the-construction-of-wynn-bridge/s/2f78302c-a04d-4e23-9566-e1d1e89b23fc
• Projectory, "Wynn Al Marjan Island Advances Toward 2027 Opening" (21 July 2026): https://projectory.ae/insights/wynn-al-marjan-island-advances-toward-2027-opening/
• Gulf News, "RAK Airport to build luxury VVIP private jet terminal 15-minutes away from Wynn Al Marjan": https://gulfnews.com/business/aviation/rak-airport-to-build-luxury-vvip-private-jet-terminal-15-minutes-away-from-wynn-al-marjan-1.500358036
• WOW-RAK, "Dubai to Ras Al Khaimah: Bus, Taxi & Car Guide (2026)": https://wow-rak.com/dubai-to-ras-al-khaimah-bus-taxi-car-guide/
• Asia Gaming Brief, "UAE moves toward one online gaming license per Emirate under new GCGRA framework" (28 October 2025): https://agbrief.com/news/uae/28/10/2025/uae-moves-toward-one-online-gaming-license-per-emirate-under-new-gcgra-framework/
• Bird & Bird, "All Bets Are On: 2025 UAE Commercial Gaming Review" (19 January 2026): https://www.twobirds.com/en/insights/2026/united-arab-emirates/all-bets-are-on-2025-uae-commercial-gaming-review
• GGRAsia, "Wynn, partners have land for second IR in Ras Al Khaimah, agreement for potential IPO" (8 September 2025): https://www.ggrasia.com/wynn-partners-have-land-for-second-ir-in-ras-al-khaimah-agreement-for-potential-ipo
• Gaming America, "Wynn Resorts earmarks land for second UAE casino resort" (6 January 2026): https://gamingamerica.com/news/14148/wynn-resorts-earmarks-land-for-second-uae-casino-resort
• Casino in Dubai, "Galaxy Al Marjan Resort" project profile: https://casino-in-dubai.com/casinos/galaxy-al-marjan-resort