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MGM Grand Applies For Casino Licence in Abu Dhabi

MGM Resorts has put its hat in the Dubai casino race and surrounding areas. There have always been comments that various casino companies have their sights set on places in the Middle East, such as Abu Dhabi and Dubai. And that conversation is only getting stronger with new reports coming in that MGM Resorts has applied for a casino licence in Abu Dhabi.

MGM Resorts is a major hospitality and entertainment company in America. It owns some of the biggest hospitality and leisure properties, including Bellagio, Vdara, Aria, and others on the Las Vegas strip.  It is also one of the most important brands in the entertainment industry. MGM CEO Bill Hornbuckle, who joined the company as CEO  and Director in 2020, has confirmed the news and said that he was hopeful that they could get the licence there. Abu Dhabi attracted MGM’s attention back in 2006 when they announced plans for a non-gaming project in the island city. That project, however, never took off.

In July of this year, the UAE’s federal gaming entity, the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), announced that it was accepting gaming licenses. UAE’s gambling industry is generally termed ‘fledgling’, with only Wynn Resorts building a $3.9 Billion resort, Wynn Al Marjan Island, at Ras Al Khaimah, the neighbouring emirate to Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Wynn is building that property in collaboration with Marjan and RAK Hospitality.

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Also Read: Casinos in Dubai Possible? – Experts Think So

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While Dubai has several tourist hotspots that are not just Instagram-worthy but could be home to an entire website, it still doesn’t have casinos, an integral part of the high-life nightlife that’s now mandatory for the high-rollers in life. If a company like Wynn comes up with a casino in Dubai, it could be a major development for the entire industry, with repercussions for the entire continent.

UAE casino operator #Wynn Resorts has acquired an additional 70 acres of land on Ras Al Khaimah’s Al Marjan Island, reinforcing its commitment to the project and signalling its intentions for future expansion. Read more: https://t.co/2qzTQXzyJn

— ArabianBusiness.com (@ArabianBusiness) August 8, 2024

The concept of casinos will be tricky in the Emirates, with whether or not to allow them being a spiritual and religious question rather than just a question of rules and regulations. The Emirates of Dubai is Islamist, a religion in which gambling is strictly forbidden, as it follows Sharia law. Even so, Dubai has long been known for its conservative attitude, which has allowed it to become a tourist hotspot, particularly among Asian tourists.

What culminates further will be a benchmark for not just the gambling and casino industry in the Emirates but also in the Asian subcontinent. Logically, the stage is set for casinos to open in Dubai and other Emirates in a big way, with two casino-based names beginning their investments in the desert city.

As of now, the poker community is watching developments in the Middle East, as that could set a precedent for several other changes in the world of poker in the future. Gutshot Magazine is on the poker industry beat, bringing you the best and latest updates from the world of poker.

For more updates from the poker world, keep reading GutshotMagazine.com. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Telegram

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