UAE Gaming Advertising Rules Explained: Who May Advertise, and What the Ads Must Not Say

Last updated: 9 November 2026

The UAE gaming advertising rules start with one filter: only operators licensed by the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) may advertise commercial gaming, and they must follow the regulator's Advertising Standards and Responsible Gaming Framework. Promoting unlicensed gambling online is a crime under Article 38 of the Cybercrimes Decree-Law, punishable by imprisonment and/or a fine of Dh250,000 to Dh500,000. On top of that sit platform rules, such as Google's requirement that UAE gambling advertisers be GCGRA-licensed and Google-certified. This guide sets out each layer.

Key takeaways

• Only GCGRA licensees may advertise commercial gaming. The register lists three operators: The Game LLC (UAE Lottery), Coin Technology Projects LLC (internet gaming and sports wagering) and Island 3 AMI FZ-LLC (Wynn Al Marjan, not yet open).
• Every operator must submit an advertising and marketing plan with its licence application, and ads go through a GCGRA "evaluation and approval process" before the public sees them.
• The GCGRA Advertising Standards (Version 1.0, 27 February 2024) tell operators not to use Arabic in any advertising "until directed otherwise by the GCGRA", or any representation of Emirati or Islamic culture, such as the UAE flag, traditional dress, national or Islamic events, UAE leaders and public figures, or national emblems.
• Ads must not suggest gaming solves money problems, replaces a job or improves attractiveness or status, and must not make "unsubstantiated claims about improving Recipients' chances of winning".
• Operators answer for their affiliates and agencies, and may not use any marketing partner that also works for unlicensed sites taking bets from UAE players.
• Promoting gambling online "in the cases other than the authorized" carries imprisonment and/or a fine of Dh250,000 to Dh500,000 under Article 38 of Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021.

Who is allowed to advertise gaming in the UAE?

Only licensees. The GCGRA's Advertising Standards define an "Operator" as "any legal person licensed by the GCGRA to offer Commercial Gaming", and the rules are addressed to operators alone. Advertising itself is defined broadly: "any means of communication that aims to, either directly or indirectly, promote Commercial Gaming".

The register, as we read it on 4 November 2026, names:

Licence category — Licensee — Consumer brand

• Lottery — The Game LLC — The UAE Lottery
• Internet gaming and sports wagering — Coin Technology Projects LLC — Play971, TrueWin
• Land-based gaming facility — Island 3 AMI FZ-LLC — Wynn Al Marjan (opening 2027)

The register's 33 gaming-related vendors supply operators rather than the public.

Everyone else is outside the system. In its December 2024 warning, the GCGRA said unlicensed operators "are not subject to advertising regulations" and that "advertisers, payment processors, and other service providers that support these businesses risk sanctions and potential consequences affecting their ability to operate in the UAE."

What must a licensed operator do before an ad runs?

Two GCGRA documents carry the rules: the Responsible Gaming Framework (version 5.0) and the Advertising Standards, which "complement the provisions of Chapter 17 of the GCGRA's Executive Regulation". They require:

• A marketing plan at licensing. "As part of its license application, each operator shall submit an advertising and marketing plan to the GCGRA, including strategies to limit unwanted advertising and marketing aimed at Underage Persons."
• Pre-approval. Operators must comply with "the GCGRA's evaluation and approval process for advertising before it is exposed to the public."
• A responsible marketing plan inside the operator's Responsible Gaming Program, which the GCGRA must approve before gaming starts and which is audited at least every two years by a GCGRA-approved auditor.
• An annual third-party policy describing how the operator manages every agency, affiliate or partner it uses for advertising, subject to GCGRA approval.

What every gaming ad in the UAE must include, and must avoid

The framework sets a minimum for all materials. Each ad must disclose the operator's identity and state that underage persons may not take part. "Underage" means under 18 for lottery and under 21 for every other form of commercial gaming.

The Advertising Standards then list what is off limits. Ads must not:

• overstate a product or make "unsubstantiated claims about improving Recipients' chances of winning";
• "create the impression that Commercial Gaming can be a strategic solution to the relief of personal hardships, financial issues or a substitute for employment";
• show gaming taking precedence over "family, friends, education, or religious commitments";
• link gambling to self-esteem, recognition, "enhanced attractiveness, sexual success, or an increased likelihood of getting married", or to toughness and recklessness;
• "make reference or take advantage of cultural beliefs concerning gambling or luck";
• depict under-age people, students, schools or university settings, or target "individuals with gaming problems, or other vulnerable individuals".

Offshore apps promising "guaranteed" multipliers are making claims no licensee may make, as our Color Prediction explainer notes. The same test applies to Plinko-style games, covered in our guide to whether Plinko is legal in the UAE.

Why are there no gaming ads in Arabic?

Because the regulator has told operators not to run them. Section 13.1 of the Advertising Standards reads: "Operators should not use the Arabic language in any forms of Advertising until directed otherwise by the GCGRA." We found no public notice lifting it.

Section 14.1 goes further on imagery. Operators should not use "any visual, pictorial or audible direct or indirect representation of the Emirati or Islamic Culture", and the list names the UAE flag, traditional dress, Islamic or national events and celebrations, UAE leaders, officials and public figures, and national emblems.

What are the rules on bonuses, free bets and promotions?

Promotions carry the most detailed rules. All relevant terms and conditions must sit "clearly and visibly directly alongside" the offer, and every image, headline and button must link to the full terms, no more than one click away. The Standards name eight terms that must be spelled out: eligibility limits, wagering (playthrough) requirements with "an illustrative example", minimum stakes, deposit conditions, excluded games, time limits, caps on winnings and maximum bet limits, including whether exceeding them could lead to winnings being confiscated. Terms should change only "in exceptional circumstances", and only for players who join afterwards.

Email, SMS, social media and sponsorship

Channel — Rule

• Direct marketing (email, SMS, calls, DMs) — Only with prior opt-in consent; must identify the operator, carry responsible gaming and age warnings, and link to terms
• Opt-out — Every direct ad must offer a way out; operators must act "within forty-eight (48) hours"
• Social media — Opt-in must be a deliberate act; "pre-ticked boxes or assumed consent" are not acceptable; platform age-gating tools must be switched on where possible
• Self-excluded players — Must not receive direct marketing; players on a cooling-off break (minimum 72 hours) must not be targeted by direct or indirect marketing
• TV, radio, streaming — No ads during or next to programming aimed at under-age audiences; responsible gaming messages allowed around major sport under conditions
• Sponsorship — Logos, text or imagery that identify the operator only; "Product Placement is forbidden"

Our explainer on the GCGRA's deposit limits and cooling-off rules covers the player-protection side.

Can affiliates and influencers promote gaming in the UAE?

Only inside a licensee's supervised programme, and the rules here are strict. Section 7.1 makes operators "responsible for the adherence of third parties" to the Standards and to UAE law. Section 7.2 bars an operator from contracting with any marketing partner, or any company in that partner's group, that also does advertising work for "online gaming sites that are not licensed with the GCGRA and that facilitate or accept bets from players located in the UAE."

Outside the licensed system, the criminal law applies. Article 38 of Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021 punishes whoever "creates, manages or supervises a website, or uses information network to broadcast, transmit, disseminate, re-disseminate, or promote practicing of gambling activities in the cases other than the authorized" with "imprisonment and/ or a fine of not less than (AED 250,000) … or more than (AED 500,000)". The decree-law's definition of "website" expressly includes social media platforms and "personal pages and accounts". Article 48 of the same law separately covers misleading online advertising, with imprisonment and/or a fine of Dh20,000 to Dh500,000. We will look at Article 38 in more detail in a dedicated explainer.

Do the UAE Media Council's standards mention gambling?

Not by name, in the sources we checked. The 20 mandatory content standards under Federal Decree-Law No. 55 of 2023 on media regulation, in force since 29 May 2025 as reported by Gulf News, include a ban on content that might "incite the commission of crimes" and a requirement that advertising respect the UAE's culture, identity and values. Gambling is not listed in Gulf News's summary of the standards. We could not access the Media Council's full advertising guidance, so we make no further claim about it.

What does Google allow for UAE gambling ads?

Google's Gambling and games policy allows lotteries, internet gaming and sports wagering ads in the UAE on one condition: "Operator must be a GCGRA licensed entity." Advertisers also need Google's gambling certification, a landing page with responsible gambling information, and ads that "never target minors". The UAE also appears on Google's list of places where offline gambling may not be advertised. The background to the March 2026 change is in our report on Google's licensed-only UAE policy.

FAQ

Is gambling advertising legal in the UAE? Only for GCGRA licensees, and only within the GCGRA Advertising Standards. Promoting unlicensed gambling online can bring imprisonment and/or a fine of Dh250,000 to Dh500,000 under Article 38 of the Cybercrimes Decree-Law.

Why are there no Arabic gaming ads in the UAE? The GCGRA Advertising Standards tell operators not to use Arabic "until directed otherwise by the GCGRA".

Can a licensed operator advertise a bonus without listing the terms? No. The relevant terms must appear alongside the offer, with full terms one click away, including any wagering requirement and an example of how it works.

Can I promote a betting site on Instagram or Telegram in the UAE? Not an unlicensed one: Article 38 covers personal accounts and social platforms. Licensees answer for their affiliates.

Do GCGRA rules ban gaming ads near children? Yes. Ads may not target or depict under-age people, students or schools, and broadcast ads may not run during or next to programming aimed at them.

This article explains the law as published; it is not legal advice. For a specific situation, speak to a UAE-qualified lawyer.

Further reading

• Google's licensed-only policy for UAE gambling ads
• What is legal in UAE gaming right now
• Responsible gaming rules for UAE licensees
• Is Plinko legal in the UAE?
• Illegal gaming risks in the UAE

Sources

• GCGRA, "Advertising Standards for Commercial Gaming", Version 1.0 (27 February 2024): https://www.gcgra.gov.ae/media/e1rncnez/gcgra-advertising-standards_26062024-aa-amendments-003.pdf
• GCGRA, "Technical Standards" page (accessed 4 November 2026): https://www.gcgra.gov.ae/en/legislation-compliance/legislation/technical-standards/
• GCGRA, "Responsible Gaming Framework", version 5.0 (file dated 17 July 2024): https://www.gcgra.gov.ae/media/qrwofjzi/gcgra-responsible-gaming-framework_v50-final-17072024_25.pdf
• GCGRA, "How to Comply with Responsible Gaming" (accessed 4 November 2026): https://www.gcgra.gov.ae/en/responsible-gaming/how-to-comply-with-responsible-gaming/
• GCGRA, "Our Licensees" (accessed 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/
• UAE Legislation, Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021 on Countering Rumors and Cybercrimes, Arts 1, 38 and 48: https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1526
• Google Advertising Policies Help, "Gambling and games" (accessed 4 November 2026): https://support.google.com/adspolicy/answer/6018017
• Gulf News, "UAE Media Law: Media must follow 20 key standards to avoid fines of up to Dh1m" (updated 10 June 2025): https://gulfnews.com/uae/uae-media-law-media-must-follow-20-key-standards-to-avoid-fines-of-up-to-dh1m-1.500157204