Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed has not yet approved a casino at MGM’s $2.5 billion resort on the Jumeirah coast, though MGM CEO Bill Hornbuckle remains optimistic.
Eight years after UAE developer Wasl and MGM Resorts International unveiled plans for the project, government approval for gaming at the beachfront complex is still pending.
MGM’s hospitality division teamed up with Wasl in 2017 to design a 10.5-hectare mixed-use destination, envisioned as “a luxurious sanctuary on Jumeirah Beach” and “an entertainment hub of the future.” The development, branded as the Island, will showcase three of MGM’s flagship hotel names – Bellagio, MGM, and Aria – and mark the company’s first venture in the Middle East. While MGM initially insisted the property would open without a casino, the operator later revised its position, encouraged by projections valuing the UAE gaming market at $5–$8 billion. Analysts at Morgan Stanley suggest the Emirates could even rival Singapore as a global casino hub. To date, however, only Wynn Resorts has secured a gaming licence – for its $5.1 billion Wynn Al Marjan project in Ras Al Khaimah.
Both MGM and Wynn are targeting the same audience: expatriates, who make up 80–90% of the UAE’s population, including a large share of wealthy residents. Drawn by Dubai’s business-friendly policies, tax advantages, and high standard of living, foreign millionaires and billionaires are a key demographic. The Emirates also attract strong visitor flows from India, China, and neighboring Middle Eastern countries. Hornbuckle has highlighted Dubai International Airport’s scale, calling it “one of the largest – and soon the biggest – airports in the world,” underlining the market potential.
Wynn’s Ras Al Khaimah resort, opening in early 2027, holds an exclusive 15-year renewable licence and will benefit from an initial monopoly, though sources cited by Arabian Gulf Business Insight believe other operators are likely to follow. At G2E 2023, Hornbuckle predicted “three or four” casinos could eventually open across the Emirates. Regardless of licensing outcomes, MGM plans to debut the Island resort in late 2028.
