UAE Gaming License Tracker 2026: Every Official GCGRA Licensee Right Now

Last updated: April 14, 2026

The UAE gaming license market is moving quickly, but the official picture is still more limited than many headlines suggest. As of April 14, 2026, the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) remains the sole federal body responsible for licensing and supervising commercial gaming in the United Arab Emirates.

If you are searching for a UAE gaming license, a UAE casino license, or a verified list of GCGRA licensees, this guide is the clearest place to start. It tracks every official public licensee currently listed by the regulator, explains what each license means, and separates confirmed facts from market speculation. If you want the broader consumer-facing answer on what is actually legal right now, read our guide to legal gaming in the UAE. If you need the framework behind those categories, use the official GCGRA License Types page.

Key takeaways

• The GCGRA is the only authority publicly empowered to regulate and license commercial gaming in the UAE.
• The activities it regulates include lottery, internet gaming, sports wagering, and land-based integrated gaming facilities or resorts.
• The closest public equivalent to a UAE casino license is the Commercial Gaming Facility Operator license.
• As of April 14, 2026, the GCGRA public register lists lottery, land-based gaming facility, internet gaming, sports wagering, and gaming-related vendor licensees.
• Not every market rumor reflects an official license grant. For accuracy, the public register and official company statements should come before industry chatter.

Who regulates UAE gaming licenses?

According to the GCGRA licensing pages and its commercial gaming overview, the regulator has exclusive federal jurisdiction over commercial gaming in the UAE.

That matters because many readers still assume licenses are issued emirate by emirate. Publicly available federal guidance points in a different direction. The national framework is centered on the GCGRA, and any commercial gaming activity conducted in the UAE without a license is described by the regulator as illegal.

What activities require a UAE gaming license?

The GCGRA says it regulates four main commercial gaming activity areas:

• Lottery
• Internet gaming
• Sports wagering
• Land-based integrated gaming facilities or resorts

For search purposes, this is an important distinction. Many people use the phrase UAE casino license, but the official licensing framework uses more specific terms. If a business is operating a physical gaming venue, the relevant operator category is the land-based Commercial Gaming Facility Operator license.

Has the UAE issued a casino license?

Yes, in practical terms the UAE has already issued the first public license that corresponds to a casino-style land-based gaming operation.

On October 4, 2024, Wynn Resorts announced that the GCGRA had issued a Commercial Gaming Facility Operator license to the entity developing Wynn Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah. In the same statement, Wynn said it was the first commercial gaming facility license in the UAE.

Source: Wynn Resorts official announcement, October 4, 2024

For readers searching for a UAE casino license, that Wynn Al Marjan approval is the most important public licensing milestone so far.

Every official UAE gaming licensee listed by the GCGRA right now

As of April 14, 2026, the GCGRA public licensee register shows the following licensees.

Lottery licensee

• The Game LLC

The GCGRA announced on July 28, 2024 that it had awarded a license to The Game LLC to operate The UAE Lottery, which it described as the country's first authorised lottery operation. The official lottery press release remains the clearest public source for the operator detail.

Source: GCGRA press release, July 28, 2024

Land-based gaming facilities licensee

• Island 3 AMI FZ-LLC (DBA: Wynn Al Marjan)

This is the most important name for anyone tracking the UAE casino market. The public register confirms the licensee, while Wynn's own statement provides the best public source for the date and significance of the grant.

Internet gaming licensee

• Coin Technology Projects LLC

The public register confirms current licensed status. At the time of writing, the register is the strongest official source for this status, but it does not display the grant date in the excerpt reviewed for this article.

Sports wagering licensee

• Coin Technology Projects LLC

Again, the GCGRA register confirms current status. Readers should note the difference between a current public listing and a dated regulator press release. Where the regulator has not published a detailed announcement, the register remains the clearest official source for current licensing status.

Gaming-related vendor licensees

The current public register lists the following gaming-related vendor licensees:

• Aristocrat Technologies Europe (Holdings) Ltd.
• Smartplay International Inc.
• Xpoint Technology FZ LLC
• EQL Games Inc.
• Novomatic AG
• IGT Global Services Ltd.
• Scientific Games International Ltd.
• Random State AB
• Fennica Gaming Ltd.
• TCS John Huxley Singapore PTE Ltd.
• Pollard Banknote Ltd.
• LNW Gaming, Inc.
• Konami Gaming, Inc.
• Live Online Gaming Services LLC
• Hub 88 Holdings Ltd.
• Sportradar AG
• Arena Leisure Ltd.
• GG UAE LIMITED

This vendor list matters because a UAE gaming license is not only about consumer-facing operators. The federal regime also covers critical suppliers across gaming technology, geolocation, lottery systems, betting data, content, and equipment.

Important timeline for UAE gaming licensing

Here are the major public milestones so far:

September 3, 2023

The GCGRA was formally announced as the UAE’s federal commercial gaming regulator.

July 28, 2024

The GCGRA awarded the UAE’s first lottery license to The Game LLC, launching the regulated federal lottery framework.

October 4, 2024

Wynn Resorts announced receipt of the first public Commercial Gaming Facility Operator license tied to Wynn Al Marjan Island.

December 9, 2024

The GCGRA issued a consumer advisory warning UAE residents about unlicensed lottery and gaming operators. In that notice, the regulator said that only The UAE Lottery, Big Ticket, and Dubai Duty Free were the authorised lottery activities operating within the federal framework at that time. That distinction matters because the sole lottery license and the supervised continuation pathway are not the same thing.

Source: GCGRA consumer advisory, December 9, 2024

If you want the wider enforcement and consumer protection angle, review the GCGRA Risks of Engaging in Illegal Gaming Activities page.

April 30, 2025

The GCGRA announced an MOU with New Jersey’s Division of Gaming Enforcement, reinforcing cooperation in cybersecurity, consumer protection, and regulatory collaboration.

Source: GCGRA press release, April 30, 2025

How the UAE gaming licensing process works

The GCGRA licensing process page and the regulator’s licensing guide describe a structured process rather than a simple registration form. For a fuller step-by-step breakdown, read our UAE gaming licensing process guide.

In broad terms, applicants should expect:

1. An intake form and initial screening
2. Invitation into the licensing portal
3. Full application and supporting documentation
4. Suitability and integrity review
5. Ongoing compliance monitoring after approval

The regulator’s licensing guide PDF also makes clear that applicants and licensees may need to deal with more than one license category depending on their role. That is especially relevant for operators with affiliates, management service providers, key persons, and gaming employees.

What a UAE gaming license really signals

A UAE gaming license is not just a market-entry badge. Public GCGRA materials show that licensing sits alongside strict expectations in three major areas.

1. Responsible gaming

The GCGRA’s Responsible Gaming Framework says operators must submit a responsible gaming program to the regulator before being authorised to conduct gaming activities. The framework also says the program must be updated annually.

2. Financial crime prevention

The regulator’s financial crime prevention guidance and licensing guide highlight business risk assessments, player due diligence, transaction monitoring, and suspicious activity reporting as key compliance themes.

3. Technical standards and certification

The GCGRA has published technical standards and also lists certified service providers. This matters for operators and vendors because approval is tied not only to ownership and suitability, but also to systems, game integrity, and testing requirements.

What is still unclear in 2026

Even with a much clearer framework than in 2023 or 2024, several important points are still not fully transparent in public materials.

Exact dates for some newer licensees

The current public register confirms certain operator and vendor licenses, but it does not always provide a matching public press release with the grant date.

Full fee schedules

The licensing guide confirms that the framework includes application fees, in-principle approval fees, license fees, and annual maintenance fees. However, a simple public fee schedule is not prominently published on the pages reviewed for this article.

Future market expansion

The existence of a federal licensing framework does not automatically confirm the pace, scope, or timing of every future integrated resort, online gaming rollout, or sports wagering launch. That is why official sources matter more than rumor-driven coverage.

Why this matters for the UAE casino and gambling market

The licensing story is now one of the most important drivers of the wider UAE casino and gambling narrative.

For operators and investors, licensing signals who has real regulatory standing.

For vendors, it shows where the approved supply chain is forming.

For players and the public, it draws a line between legal, authorised activity and unlicensed offers.

For publishers, it separates high-quality reporting from speculation.

That is exactly why the UAE gaming license topic is now central to understanding the future of commercial gaming in the country.

Bottom line

The best answer to the question "who holds a UAE gaming license right now?" is the GCGRA public register, supported by official company announcements where available.

As of April 14, 2026, the public framework confirms a live federal licensing regime that covers lottery, land-based gaming facilities, internet gaming, sports wagering, and gaming-related vendors. The most important public names are The Game LLC, Wynn Al Marjan, and Coin Technology Projects LLC, alongside a growing list of approved suppliers.

If you want to track the UAE casino market accurately, start with licensing. It is the clearest signal of what has actually moved from speculation into official reality.

Sources

• GCGRA Licensing
• GCGRA License Types
• GCGRA Licensing Process
• GCGRA Our Licensees
• GCGRA Activities We Regulate
• GCGRA Lottery License Press Release, July 28, 2024
• GCGRA Consumer Advisory, December 9, 2024
• GCGRA New Jersey MOU Press Release, April 30, 2025
• GCGRA Licensing Guide PDF
• GCGRA Responsible Gaming Framework PDF
• Wynn Resorts License Announcement, October 4, 2024