UAE - A Market of Opportunity
Back in September 2023 the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) was established to regulate “commercial gaming” in the UAE. To date two operator licensees have been approved, one for a land based casino, and the other for the UAE National Lottery, supported by various approved gaming-related vendor licensees. We expect more licensees will be issued this year with activity ramping up in particular in relation to internet gaming.
It seems like an oxymoron that within the strict Islamic laws and ethics a gambling, or rather “commercial gaming”, regulator would be established, but it has, and the UAE National Lottery launched at the end of 2024. The regulations are detailed and are grounded in ensuring potential licensees have operational integrity supported by robust responsible gaming practices.
Commercial gaming is defined as any game of chance or combination of chance or skill, where an amount of money, in cash or cash equivalents, is wagered for the purposes of winning a sum of money or other valuable items.
The licencing process is rigorous, with the regulator assessing eligibility, integrity and operational capabilities of any potential licensee, you can find out more here.
We’ve been working in the UAE for over a year now, it’s fascinating, and here are our top tips for operators considering looking into licensing in the UAE:
Be prepared for a transparent, detailed assessment of your proposed offering; the regulatory will want to know everything from registration through to change management governance.
Learn to love GLI standards; you must be able to demonstrate compliance with all relevant technical standards.
KYC processes need to be robust with facial recognition, for example, included as a requirement.
Wherever possible use local suppliers, licensed gaming-related vendors are listed on the GCGRA website.
Respect the local culture and understand that regulated gaming is new, and sensitivity must be applied to everything that you do.
Expect ongoing dialogue with the regulator, this is not somewhere where you get a licence to operator and then have regulatory assessments from time to time, dialogue is continual.
Robust governance and being able to evidence your controls framework is a must.
Similar to the personal management framework in the UK individuals within operators are required to gain occupational licenses, with various categories of licence dependent on the individuals’ level of seniority.
Written by Andrea Lazenby
If you want to talk more about the ways we could help you navigate entry into this market, please don’t hesitate to get in touch directly with us by dropping an email to info@betsmartconsulting.com.