UAE GCGRA Team

UAE is planning its next big move, and it’s likely going to be legalized gambling. After its tourism industry took a massive hit during COVID-19 and neighboring countries are ahead of the curve, UAE aims to reel in more tourists from Asia and high-roles from the USA to keep its tourism alive and well. Gambling has always been a hot topic in UAE due to cultural and religious backgrounds, but it seems that the sands of time have shifted the country’s conservative stances, and we can already see some changes.

The formation of the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) is a clear indicator that the UAE is laying the groundwork for its gambling expansion. We can already see the popularity of online casinos in the UAE, and iGaming Expert Daniel Smyth says these sites offer great bonuses, features, and payment methods. GCGRA will also focus on legalizing physical casinos, and the initiative can only be as good as the people who make up the team. The CEO of GCGRA, Kevin Mullally, has been working on making this initiative a reality since September 2023, and this is not his first rodeo.

Mullally was also the executive director of the Missouri Gaming Commission and the senior executive at Gaming Laboratories International. With an impressive resume, Mullally seems like the right man for the job, which coincides with massive investments UAE has made into its hotels and tourist resorts, but we’ll cover that in a bit. Mullally’s right-hand man is Jim Murren, who’ll be in charge as the chairman of the GCGRA’s board of directors. Murren is familiar with the procedures needed to make online casinos, crypto gambling sites, physical casinos, and all forms of gambling legal, as he has an impressive resume.

Murren was the chairman and CEO of MGM Resorts International, and he is renowned in Nevada, and throughout Las Vegas. Murren had similar job experiences while running as a chairman of the American Gaming Association for three years, and in total, he has more than ten years of experience in the casino industry. Murren was also probably chosen for the position as he had previous work experience with UAE. Together, they opened the CityCenter in Las Vegas, a joint program with MGM Resorts International and Dubai World.

Another member of the GCGRAs board is William Grounds, who was a former president and COO of World Development Corp, who was also involved in the CityCenter project, so it’s natural to see him sitting beside his former colleagues. Setting a regulatory body ahead of planned projects is key to UAE casino success. While the GCGRA aims to create a regulated and responsible environment for all participants, based on previous track records, it will also make previous casino projects possible. For example, the luxurious ship Queen Elizabeth 2 was renovated with a hefty $100 million investment, but its slots are still not operational due to local restrictions.

The city of Ras al-Khaimah announced a planned joint venture with Wynn Resorts, a Las Vegas casino giant, to build an integrated resort worth nearly $4 billion before 2027. Such investments and plans would not be happening if gambling legalizations were not a planned reality. Planning and overseeing casino regulations will come naturally to Mark Lipparelli, who’s also part of the GCGRA board and was the former Nevada Gaming Control Board chairman and the chairman of Galaxy Gaming. These and many more professionals are all combining their expertise to make legal gambling in the UAE a reality, the sooner, the better. The next expansion and tourist boom for the UAE could lie in its gambling expansion, and we’re soon expecting to see the fruits of their labor.