Australian gambling supplier Aristocrat has been confirmed as the recipient of the inaugural vendor license from the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) in the United Arab Emirates.
The license award means Aristocrat will be permitted to provide its land-based electronic games machines (EGMs) and online gaming products to approved commercial operators in the Gulf state.
A press release disclosed the full details of the arrangements, in what is the latest move by the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) to regulate and safeguard commercial gaming in the UAE.
Hector Fernandez, Aristocrat’s CEO of Gaming said, “We are honored to be the first large, international technology provider to be awarded a gaming-related vendor license to serve the UAE market,” as he envisaged the provision of “premium content for players.”
Earlier this month, Wynn Resorts landed the first commercial gaming operator’s license in the UAE.
Background to the GCRA
The GCRA was established in 2023 as part of wider liberal legal reforms to diversify the state’s economy and enhance its entertainment offering. Ongoing competition from Saudi Arabia is influencing change, especially as the Kingdom strengthens its links with the West.
In July, the GCRA confirmed the issue of a license for the state’s first legitimate national lottery with The Game LLC given the authority to operate the venture.
The UAE regulator is headed up by several veterans of the U.S. gambling industry, including former MGM Resorts CEO Jim Murren and former Nevada Gaming Control Board chair Mark Lipparelli.
The full listing of individuals on the Board of Directors and Executive Management team can be found here on the entity’s website.
Image credit: Via Ideogram
