The United Arab Emirates is poised to mirror its land-based casino framework online by allowing up to one B2C internet-gaming license per emirate, according to a report summarized by industry outlet Inside Asian Gaming. The approach would cap the number of consumer-facing online operators at seven nationwide one for each emirate should all opt in.

Vixio’s reporting, as relayed by multiple trade publications, says the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) would empower each emirate to decide whether to participate. In other words, the federal regulator sets the model, while opt-in remains a local choice, a structure consistent with how the UAE is advancing land-based gaming.

Limited uptake expected at launch

Industry sources speaking to Vixio expect no more than two or three emirates to green-light online operations in the early phase, indicating a measured rollout rather than a nationwide switch-on. That would create a highly selective market where exclusivity is determined at the emirate level.

Signals from the supply chain point to readiness: over recent months, GCGRA has been granting gaming-related vendor (B2B) licenses to major suppliers such as Light & Wonder, Fennica Gaming and others, suggesting both regulatory and commercial groundwork are in place. These approvals bolster expectations that operator licensing for online casino and sports betting could follow.

What it means for operators and players

A one-license-per-emirate structure would confer significant market power on successful bidders, likely favoring brands with strong compliance track records, deep capital, and partnerships on the ground. The GCGRA remains the sole competent authority for commercial gaming licensing at the federal level, with emirates deciding whether to host activity in an arrangement that should keep standards centralized while allowing local discretion.

The model also hews closely to land-based developments that have seen the UAE set up its regulator and advance resort projects such as Wynn Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah. While online and land-based regimes are distinct, both point to a tightly controlled, staged liberalization designed to balance tourism and economic goals with oversight.

Source: https://asgam.com/2025/10/26/uae-to-offer-up-to-one-online-gaming-license-for-each-of-its-seven-emirates-mirroring-land-based-model-report/