The United Arab Emirates continues shaping its industrial gaming and lottery market, issuing recent vendor licences and securing new partnerships to help regulatory compliance and safe operations. Novomatic and EQL Games have turn out to be the most recent recipients of vendor licences from the UAE’s General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), whereas the nationwide lottery operator, The Game LLC, has formalised a partnership with Xpoint for location-based participant verification.
Novomatic Enters UAE’s Land-Based Gaming Sector
Novomatic, the Austria-headquartered gaming expertise supplier, has obtained a industrial gaming vendor licence from the GCGRA. The licence permits Novomatic to function inside the UAE’s land-based on line casino surroundings, which is present process a big transformation following the issuance of the nation’s first land-based gaming licence to Wynn Resorts.
Novomatic confirmed the event in an announcement on 10 April, with govt board member Stefan Krenn outlining the corporate’s regional objectives. “Our latest gaming solutions are designed to deliver exceptional performance to land-based gaming facilities across the United Arab Emirates, ensuring that international players can enjoy their preferred games with the same high standards and quality they expect from other jurisdictions worldwide,” he acknowledged.
Novomatic’s entry into the market displays the GCGRA’s ongoing efforts to appeal to globally acknowledged gaming distributors. Since its institution in 2023, the regulatory authority has taken key steps towards constructing a complete framework for each lottery and playing operations.
Xpoint Teams Up with UAE Lottery for Geolocation Compliance
Alongside vendor licensing bulletins, the GCGRA has authorized Xpoint, a North America-based geolocation and safety service supplier, to work with The Game LLC—presently the UAE’s sole lottery operator. Xpoint will help compliance with geolocation mandates by guaranteeing that lottery entry is proscribed to designated areas inside the UAE. Access will probably be blocked in exclusion zones as required by regulatory requirements.
According to a launch issued by Xpoint on 7 April, “This collaboration supports The Game’s commitment to providing a secure and compliant lottery experience nationwide.” The Game LLC’s director of lottery operations, Bishop Woosley, additionally highlighted the significance of information sovereignty within the partnership: “The supplier will utilise a private cloud to ensure all data remains on UAE soil. This aligns with local regulations and will ensure the highest level of data security.”
Xpoint’s licensing by the GCGRA additional reinforces the regulator’s concentrate on implementing robust technological safeguards because the UAE’s digital and land-based gaming ecosystems evolve.
EQL Games Secures Approval for Lottery-Focused Offerings
EQL Games, based mostly in Kentucky, additionally joined the listing of licensed gaming-related distributors this week. Granted a GCGRA licence on 10 April, EQL Games will introduce a variety of lottery-driven gaming options to the UAE market. The firm focuses on high-end merchandise for regulated platforms and views the licence as a pivotal achievement.
“Securing this licence marks a significant step for EQL Games as we continue our mission to bring innovative, secure and responsible lottery solutions to markets worldwide,” mentioned CEO Brad Cummings in an official assertion.
This growth coincides with broader preparations for the launch of business land-based playing within the UAE. In February, Wynn Resorts introduced the completion of a $2.4 billion funding package deal for its built-in resort undertaking on Al Marjan Island. Initially revealed in January 2020, the resort is predicted to value roughly $5.1 billion. As of February 2025, Wynn reported that 64% of the structural concrete for the primary resort tower had been accomplished.
These licensing milestones and strategic partnerships underline the UAE’s dedication to constructing a contemporary, compliant, and internationally aggressive gaming panorama.
Source:
UAE awards vendor licences, lottery hires geolocation security service, iGaming Business, April 11, 2025.
