Wynn Resorts has a possible on line casino monopoly within the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a minimum of for awhile, after securing the one gaming license within the nation. That should wait, nonetheless. The firm has delayed the opening of Wynn Al Marjan Island from 2026 to September 2027.
The delay consists of an extra $600 million in prices, placing the value tag of the luxurious resort at greater than $5 billion. The undertaking is situated within the nation’s northernmost territory of Ras Al Khaimah close to Dubai.
In a second quarter earnings name, CEO Craig Billings pointed to the U.S.-Iran battle within the Middle East as a cause for the adjustments.
“As development of Wynn Al Marjan Island progresses, regional conflict-related disruptions initially impacted global supply chains and continue to impact the shipping insurance markets,” he mentioned. “This has required sure supplies and tools to be resourced, rerouted, or expedited to make sure the undertaking’s development timeline.
“In addition, we experienced certain other disruptions associated with the movement of staff and consultants and other non-recurring issues. These disruptions have impacted both the timing and cost of the project. On timing, we now expect the project to open its stores to the public in September 2027.”
Work Advancing On Hotel, Operations Planning
Work is at present being finished on resort rooms, Billings mentioned. Hiring and operations planning are additionally advancing. The property received’t open in phases. All facilities shall be able to go when the property formally opens, he mentioned.
“What we are building in the region is one of a kind, and the quality of work on site is truly extraordinary,” he mentioned. “We continue to believe this will be the most exciting integrated resort opening globally in over a decade, and we remain as committed to and confident in the UAE as ever.”
The firm acquired a business gaming license from the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) in October 2024. The property can pay a blended tax charge of between 10% and 12% of gross gaming income (GGR). That makes the UAE on line casino plan akin to the business in Singapore.
Plans name for Wynn to construct a 1,500-room beachside resort and on line casino, which shall be one of many firm’s largest properties. The resort may also embrace a buying venue, a spa, and a conferences and occasion area.
The 70‑story Resort Tower will characteristic colours of shimmering bronze and white‑gold, topped by a spire 352 meters overlooking the Persian Gulf. The property is a part of the Al Marjan Islands’ man-made archipelago fronted by white-sand seashores.
Up To Four Casinos May Be Coming
The UAE may produce a large on line casino market, in keeping with Billings. In November 2025, he mentioned Wynn was modeling the UAE as a $3 billion to $5 billion gross gaming income market as soon as further rivals enter the market, in keeping with the Khaleej Times.
“We were factoring in two incremental competitors and a market that is $3 to $5 billion of GGR,” he mentioned in a 2025 earnings name. “We always tend to operate at a fair share premium… With no announced competition that we’re aware of in the (UAE) market thus far, there probably is some conservatism in those estimates.”
Billings added that the market is strong and has a excessive gross home product per capita. He additionally pointed to some further positives for the undertaking and the realm on the whole that would assist produce progress as a gaming market.
“It’s a very small market, geographically, but it’s very tightly coupled,” he mentioned. “[Wynn Al Marjan] is about 50 minutes from Dubai, all with great road infrastructure. Those are all the things that we look at when assessing market size.”
Wynn’s projections of two on line casino resorts within the space may certainly be conservative. GCGRA Executive Chairman Jim Murren, a former MGM Resorts CEO, mentioned he anticipated as many as 4 casinos being constructed within the coming years.
Poker Coming To Wynn UAE Project
The Wynn Al Marjan will embrace a poker site. The firm mentioned in March the property was searching for to rent a cardroom supervisor.
“Wynn Poker is coming to Al Marjan Island,” the property’s Vice President of Poker Operations Ryan Beauregard wrote on Twitter. “First, we build the environment, and now we build the team. We are driven by a passion for the game, and the desire to create exceptional experiences for each of our guests.”
The UAE received’t be the one Middle Eastern nation with legalized playing. There are casinos in Lebanon, Egypt, and Cyprus. Legal horse race wagering can be accessible in Turkey, Lebanon, and Cyprus.
