Legal guide
Is Online Casino Legal in the UAE? — The 2026 Answer
By Khalid Al Mansoori · Last verified
By Khalid Al Mansoori · Last verified
Yes, on a GCGRA-licensed operator. No, on any other operator.
As of June 2026, the only online casino legally available to UAE residents is Play971 (with its sister brand TrueWin) operated by Coin Technology Projects LLC. The platform received its GCGRA Internet Gaming licence on 28 November 2025 and went fully operational on 15 December 2025. Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025 took effect on 1 June 2026, removing the gambling chapter from the UAE Civil Transactions Law and making GCGRA-licensed gaming contracts civilly enforceable in UAE courts.
Every other online casino — the brands you’ll see ranked on most Google searches for “online casino UAE” — is offshore (Curaçao, Anjouan, Malta, Gibraltar) and not GCGRA-licensed. UAE residents using these operators are committing a criminal offence under Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021 (Crimes and Penalties), with fines up to AED 50,000 and imprisonment up to 2 years. Cybercrime Law 34/2021 adds AED 250,000-500,000 fines for operators and facilitators.
Most pages ranking for “online casino UAE” were written before Play971’s launch in December 2025. They reflect a pre-2024 reality in which no licensed online casino existed for UAE residents, and the pages were updated only superficially (dateline changed to 2026) without rewriting the operator recommendations. They’ll typically:
The pages are technically still online; they’re just describing a market that doesn’t exist any more.
Play971 is operated by Coin Technology Projects LLC, a UAE-incorporated entity holding two GCGRA licences (Internet Gaming + Sports Wagering). Game catalogue from Pragmatic Play, OneTouch, Evolution Gaming, Hub88, Live88. AED-native payment rails (UAE bank card and bank transfer; no crypto). Emirates ID required, 21+ minimum age, physical presence in UAE required (VPN blocked).
See our full Play971 review for game catalogue, payment testing, RG tooling, and verdict. Also see TrueWin review for the second consumer brand from the same operator.
Wynn Al Marjan Island opens in Q1 / March 2027 as the UAE’s first land-based casino. It’s GCGRA-licensed (October 2024). Until opening, Play971 is the only legal online casino, and there’s no land-based licensed casino operating. From 2027 onwards, Wynn becomes available to visitors 21+ with Emirates ID or valid passport. Wynn Al Marjan guide.
The UAE Lottery (operated by The Game LLC since July 2024) is a separate licensed product. It’s a national lottery, not a casino — Lucky Day draw and scratch cards. UAE Lottery guide.
Probably not. Emirates ID is required for registration; most tourists don’t have one. They’d need to use bookmakers in their home jurisdiction.
No. VPN is detected and blocked by Play971’s geolocation system (Xpoint/GeoComply). VPN to bypass UAE gambling rules is an additional offence under Decree-Law 34/2021.
Their licensing jurisdiction (Curaçao etc.) doesn’t restrict them from accepting UAE-IP traffic. But UAE law makes participation illegal for UAE residents regardless of the operator’s position. The legal exposure is on the player.
Eighteen months ago no online casino was legally licensed for UAE residents. December 2025 changed that with Play971’s launch. June 2026 added civil-court enforceability via Decree-Law 25/2025.
Last verified 4 June 2026.