Aristocrat Secures UAE's First Gaming-Related Vendor License

Recently, the UAE handed out a Gaming-Related Vendor License to Aristocrat Leisure. This made the Australian company the first authorized international company to operate in the Emirate's nascent gambling sector.

This development has also come amid a larger initiative by the UAE to expand its regulated gambling market, which includes the upcoming launch of a major casino project led by Wynn Resorts. With Aristocrat now poised to offer its technologies to licensed operators like Wynn Resorts, let’s see how this will change the country’s gambling scene below.

A Landmark Regulatory Milestone

In September 2023, the UAE established the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) to serve as the country’s main gambling regulator and tasked this body with licensing, overseeing, and managing the country’s growing gaming market. For the GCGRA, issuing Aristocrat’s license is a big milestone as it aims to expand gaming options.

That’s because currently, the only gaming option the country has is a lottery which got its licence in July this year. However, when it comes to sports betting there aren’t any options yet. This is why many sports enthusiasts have resorted to offshore platforms as a substitute for the lack of betting sites in the UAE. These sites offer many exclusive perks including bespoke sports markets like camel racing, and local football leagues.

According to iGaming writer Djordje Bogdanovic, these sites have also offered bettors benefits like several payment methods to choose from, like cryptocurrencies, varying bet types, and support in multiple languages. Additionally, Bogdanovic states that these platforms also provide great bonuses like odds boosters, parlay promotions, and sportsbook rebates.

As the GCGRA is looking at controlling the expansion of its gambling market with its licenses, these sites serve as a fine example of what the local market wants. This is why the authority is looking to carefully ensure that it’s able to draw in the most innovative companies by placing regulations that will maintain player safety without overly hindering companies from advancing their technologies to offer more to bettors.

Aristocrat’s Expanding Role and Offerings

To entice companies that can develop cutting-edge platforms and games, the GCGRA has introduced a Gaming-Related Vendor license. This is the license that Aristocrat is going to use to provide both land-based electronic gaming machines (EGMs) and online casino games to iGaming operators that the GCGRA will approve.

This license also aligns with Aristocrat’s ambitions of increasing its international market share and highlights the company’s commitment to tailoring its products to varying markets.

Challenges and Opportunities for International Firms

The role that Aristocrat has been given in the UAE’s gaming sector has presented both opportunities and challenges. What will prove to be a challenge is that as the first licensed company of its kind in the country, Aristocrat will be placed under a lot of scrutiny as the GCGRA may use it as a model for setting future standards, and not all companies are the same.

The opportunity that has come with this development though, is that Aristocrat getting a licence could encourage other global players to try to enter the UAE’s market. This will encourage competition and ensure that players will get access to world-class services and platforms.