• Scientific Games has become the latest company to secure a lottery vendor license in the United Arab Emirates
• This marks a significant achievement for the company as the UAE’s gambling market is set to continue growing
• The UAE could also consider online casinos and sports betting, as it is drawing closer to the rollout of the first land-based casino

The company is joining several other companies that have been issued lottery licenses in the United Arab Emirates already

Scientific Games, a global lottery major, has secured another milestone – this time in the Middle East – with the company obtaining the necessary permits to become the latest gaming vendor in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Scientific Games makes a significant step in the Middle East

The permit was issued by the country’s gambling watchdog, the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority, or GCGRA for short. The company is only one of several to have been granted the permit to provide its products locally, which makes its achievement all the more impressive.

Previously, GCGRA issued licenses to IGT Global Services Ltd, Novomatic AG, and Aristocrat Technologies Europe. Previously, the regulator also approved The Game LLC to operate the country’s lottery.

The latest licensing for Scientific Games comes amid dynamic changes to the region’s gambling landscape. An upcoming land-based casino resort in Ras Al-Khaimah is due to open doors in 2027 and is bankrolled by a $5.1-billion investment from its operator, Wynn Resorts.

Land-based developments are carried out at full throttle in the UAE

The local subsidiary, Wynn I Marjan, is the only land-based company that is licensed to offer a physical casino once the project is finalized, although MGM Resorts International has also submitted an application that is likely to be approved.

The regulator, though, has so far been waiting for the first project to be finalized, or brought closer to its final stages, before it has ruled on another similar project.

The prevalent opinion is that GCGRA does not wish to create too much competition in the initial stages, giving Wynn Resorts and its local operations the first-mover advantage.

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