UAE Launches First Fully Legal Lottery in Arabian Peninsula

UAE Launches First Fully Legal Lottery in Arabian Peninsula

This week, the United Arab Emirates introduced its national lottery, making it the sole nation from the Arabian Peninsula to achieve this. 

Tickets for the UAE Lottery became available on Tuesday, offering a grand prize of 100 million dirhams (US$27.2 million), which can be purchased through the lottery's website. The first draw is scheduled for December 14. 

Accessible to Everyone 

In the UAE, many small lotteries and raffles, such as the Abu Dhabi Big Ticket, Mahooz, and the Emirates Draw, once operated in a legal grey area. 

These primarily focused on the country's substantial non-Muslim foreign resident population. The UAE Lottery is the nation’s initial federally authorized lottery, and it is accessible to all residents regardless of their nationality. 

This might be unexpected since the Quran prohibits gambling for Muslims, labeling games of chance as a "serious sin" and "works of Satan." 

The UAE is a nation where global capitalism and extravagance exist awkwardly alongside a legal framework partially rooted in Shariah law and a strong commitment to Islamic principles. It’s a prosperous authoritarian petrostate that understands its oil reserves will eventually deplete and needs to diversify its economy. 

Although all types of gambling, except for the lottery, are still prohibited, the government is considering the possibility of allowing foreign casino operators to enter the market. 

In other parts of the Middle East, casinos can be found in Morocco, Egypt, and Lebanon, but they primarily consist of small venues exclusively for foreigners. 

Wynn Al Marjan Island 

In September 2023, the UAE government established the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) following Wynn Resorts' announced intention to create a casino hotel in the nation. 

In July, the GCGRA granted the lottery contract to The Game LLC, based in Abu Dhabi, possibly to gauge interest while it considers relaxing its gambling laws to an unprecedented degree for the area. 

Wynn Resorts is placing a $5.1 billion wager that the UAE will approve casino gambling, and its Wynn Al Marjan Island, set to launch in 2027, is predicted to be the first integrated resort in the Middle East. 

Given the level of wealth in the UAE, it is conceivable that the nation might eventually surpass Singapore in gambling revenue, regardless of whether locals are permitted to participate.