Wynn Resorts has confirmed - the first casino has opened in Dubai

Games of chance are strictly prohibited in the United Arab Emirates (UE). However, the first casino seems to be opening soon in the Persian Gulf in the Emirate of Dubai which aims to remain an attractive destination for tourists in the future. The hotel and casino operator has confirmed the official plans a few days ago.

In February of this year, we had already reported about the rumours that Wynn Resorts plans to open a casino in the Emirate of Dubai. Now the plans have been officially confirmed by the renowned hotel and casino operator. It is expected that the gigantic Casino Resort with more than 1000 hotel rooms will open in 2026. What will be the cost of this gigantic project and what made those responsible in the UAE to rethink the strict ban on games of chance?

Casino-Resort Wynn Marjan should open in 2026

The plans for the luxury resort Wynn Marjan have started some time ago in Dubai. Besides having more than 1,000 rooms, the resort will also house a pompous casino. With a gambling area of around 18,000 sqm, the Wynn Casino in Dubai will be twice as large as the Wynn Casino in Las Vegas. The launching of the luxury resort which will be directly on the beach is planned for 2026.  

Besides the Casino Resort with an incorporated hotel the guests will be able to make use of the 10 different restaurants and lounges as well as a luxurious spa area. It will also house modern shopping centres as well as a conference and congress centre, which will leave nothing to be desired. It is not known how much the costs for the luxury resort will come up to. However, one can expect that the costs for the Resort Wynn Marjan will come up to several billion dollars.

Wynn-CEO praises fast liberalisation

In a statement issued by the CEO of Wynn, Craig Billings, he has praised the unbureaucratic, and fast legalisation process of games of chance in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The process did not stall for several years till the legislation was approved. On the contrary the legislation process is already at an advanced stage. In an article we had published in May 2021, we had raised the issue, whether games of chance would soon be made legal in Dubai. Besides this, Billings has praised the fair tax rate and the licence structure. The hotel and casino operator, Wynn, sees huge potential in Dubai. At the end of the day, the UAE is already a popular destination, especially with Europeans.

Besides Wynn, the competitor Caesars Palace is already actively involved in a resort without a casino, in Dubai. MGM Resorts International is also currently building a huge resort in Dubai. In January 2021 we had reported about the fact that Caesars Palace had to sell three casinos in the USA.

Conclusion

Now it is official: the first casino will soon open in Dubai in the next years. This step is a clear turning point in the strict Islamic Emirate. After all, throughout the years, games of chance were completely illegal here and were subject to a money fine or even a prison fine. The aim of those responsible is that the liberalisation of the gambling market will attract wealthy tourists, especially Europeans.

Image source: https://pixabay.com/de/photos/innenstadt-dubai-4045037/