An analysis by Evenbet Gaming
Evenbet Gaming takes a closer look at one of the most closely watched emerging jurisdictions in the global iGaming industry: the United Arab Emirates. While gambling has not yet been fully legalized through a comprehensive federal law, the UAE is no longer viewed as a conventional emerging market. Instead, it is increasingly analyzed alongside established gaming hubs such as Las Vegas, Singapore, and Macau.
This shift in perception reflects the scale of projected investment, the regulatory architecture being put in place, and the country’s deliberate strategy to build a high-value, tightly controlled gaming ecosystem aligned with international standards.
In this article, Evenbet Gaming explores how the UAE’s gambling authority operates, the current regulatory landscape for iGaming, the likelihood of online casinos emerging under the existing framework, and the key requirements for international operators and suppliers considering market entry. The analysis also examines which gaming formats are best positioned to succeed and the operational factors that will shape long-term outcomes.
Market size and growth outlook: why the UAE is on every investor’s radar
By the end of 2025, the UAE gaming market has moved beyond speculation and into serious financial modeling. What was once considered a long-term possibility is now increasingly treated as a structurally significant iGaming market in the making.
Estimates cited by Bloomberg Intelligence suggest that gaming revenue could reach approximately 1.3% of national GDP, equivalent to around USD 6.5–6.6 billion annually once the market is fully operational. At that level, the UAE would surpass Singapore’s current gaming revenues and immediately rank among the world’s top-tier gambling jurisdictions.
Other forecasts place annual GGR in the USD 5–8 billion range, depending on regulatory pace and the number of approved projects. Even at the lower end of these projections, the UAE stands out as one of the most commercially attractive gaming markets launched in recent decades.
Crucially, the appeal lies not only in scale but in revenue quality. A wealthy resident base, premium international tourism, world-class hospitality infrastructure, and strong spending power on high-end entertainment underpin expectations of margins comparable to Singapore, where limited capacity generates exceptional returns.
