MGM Believes UAE to Legalise Gambling This Year

It seems very likely that the United Arab Emirates will allow gambling this year and MGM Resorts are keen to take advantage should that occur. Already the casino giant is going to be first to build a casino resort in Osaka Japan with breaking ground there this year and it is slated to be open in 2030.

However in 2017 the casino and hotel operator said that it had plans to build an MGM Hotel Resort in Dubai which would not have gambling but have some 1,000 hotel room and leisure facilities but there were indications then that one day gambling would be permitted.

That has now been strengthened after the latest set of results were announced by MGM when CEO Bill Hornbuckle said, “As it relates to Dubai, that property continues to evolve, we’re the managers, but the owners want to upgrade the property, I think, with gaming in mind. But it’s up to Abu Dhabi and the national government to ultimately decide. … We’re hoping ‘any day.’ But I got to believe as the summer fulfils itself, we’ll hear more news on that.”

Hornbuckle went on to say, “We have had people on the ground there basically nonstop since the first of the year, trying to understand the opportunity in Abu Dhabi and then ultimately, if it will open up,” He continued, “If they pass on it, [the opportunity] will open up to the other Emirates. Whether the rulers of each Emirate then take it upon themselves to approve it is up to them.”

“Obviously, we’re focused on Dubai, and we think it would be ideal,” Hornbuckle said. “There happens to be 150,000 to 200,000 square feet of space that could be converted into such a thing. But time to tell there, and we’re not saying no to Abu Dhabi either.”

However Wynn Resorts are set to break ground in the UAE this year as part of a $3 billion plus resort with an opening for 2027, only in March the CEO of Wynn Resorts Craig Scott Billings indicated that the resort would have a gaming part to it, however it was not clear if that means eSports or gambling.

It does seem that in a bigger push for the UAE to become the destination for holiday makers it will legalise gambling but certain to be only for foreign players.