The American casino giant Wynn will build a luxury resort in the United Arab Emirates and introduce gambling, for the first time!
U.S. casino developer Wynn Resorts has set its sights on a new market, the United Arab Emirates, which had never before allowed gambling. The Nevada-based casino giant announced that it has entered into a multibillion-dollar agreement with the emirate of Ras al-Khaimah to open a 1,000-room luxury hotel with 10 restaurants and lounges, a spa, a convention center, shopping malls and a gaming area.
The announcement came alongside a statement from the Ras al-Khaimah Tourism Development Authority introducing a new division, called the Entertainment and Gaming Regulatory Department. The latter will regulate “integrated resorts” including hotel operations, entertainment spas, restaurants, spas, retail stores, convention areas and “gaming” .
“The recently announced integrated resort is still in its initial design phase and is expected to be completed by 2026. These are all the details that can be provided at this stage,” said Marjan, the Ras al-Khaimah developer involved in the deal, according to the Associated Press.
Changing the rules?
The United Arab Emirates has in many ways often been compared to Las Vegas, the biggest difference being that there was no gambling, as Islam, the official religion of the emirate, prohibits. While drinking alcohol and wearing bikinis on the beach have long been allowed in most of the country, gambling has never been allowed, even with the construction of Caesars Palace in Dubai.
If the announcement by the Ras al-Khaimah Tourism Development Authority does indeed define gambling as including gambling, it would be a significant change for the country. Indeed, the decision would represent another step in a long and accelerating series of liberalization reforms aimed at diversifying the UAE’s traditional oil-based economy. In 2020, the emirates, where 90 per cent of the population is made up of foreigners, pushed through a series of liberal reforms in a bid to attract expatriates and improve its image as a conservative oil country. The government has allowed unmarried couples to live together and eased restrictions on access to alcohol.
“The region has tremendous potential for the hotel and tourism industry and we are excited about the prospect of developing an integrated resort in Ras Al Khaimah,” said Craig Billings, CEO of the company.
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