Wynn is swinging to action in the United Arab Emirates, having announced the development of the very first integrated casino resorts in the Persian Gulf. Here’s a look into the planned gambling facility and potential regulatory bumps down the road.
US casino giant Wynn Resorts announced the construction of a new integrated resort (IR) project in the Persian Gulf named Wynn Al Marjan Island. As the name suggests, the IR will be situated in the Al Marjan Island, a quartet of coral-shaped islands in an artificial archipelago located in Al Jazirah Al Hamra, in Ras Al Khaimah (RAK). RAK, though lesser known, is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The American casino giant has joined forces with local partners Marjan LLC and RAK Hospitality LLC, and the trio has already released their first design impressions of the integrated casino resort. It’s all systems go from now on, and if the designs are anything to go by, it will be one of the most magnificent casino resorts globally.
Describing the opulent project, Wynn issued a statement painting the picture of a modern gambling and entertainment paradise that will be packed with a vast range of amenities. The statement from the casino leviathan read in part:
Quote“The same geometric configuration of the curved shape of the beach on the island is echoed through the podium structure, similar to a great opera house, creating majestic views of the beach, sea, and the horizon. Every diner in the abundant restaurant offerings lining the beach-facing promenade at Wynn Al Marjan Island will enjoy sweeping views of the sea.”
The facility will feature 24 dining and lounge services, an innovative spa and wellness experience, a high-end shopping esplanade, a state-of-the-art theater that will host a unique production show, and of course the UAE’s first-ever casino. From Wynn’s point of view, the excitement is palpable right from its top brass of leadership. This was evident from its CEO Craig Billings who expressed his happiness with the impending project, saying:
Quote“We have spent the past year meticulously programming and concepting Wynn Al Marjan Island, carefully considering its unique location. I am incredibly proud of our design and development team’s ability to impart our legacy of rich, thoughtful design into a sun-soaked beachside resort that will delight customers, new and old. We look forward to opening Wynn Al Marjan Island in early 2027.”
Al Marjan Is Projected to be Larger than Wynn’s Vegas Facility
For you to digest the sheer size of this project, Wynn anticipates that it will be bigger than its Vegas facility. The project has brought a lot of excitement to the UAE, and rightly so because it will be the largest Direct Foreign Investment (FDI) project in a country beaming with lots of great foreign projects. The UAE, which is typically a no-gambling state is set to benefit a lot from the development of this integrated resort project.
Wynn estimates that the 1500-room resort will cost about $3.9 billion. While the gaming element comes to sharp focus with the development of the IR, word out of Ras Al-Khaimah says that the casino resort will dedicate just 4% of the overall development towards its gaming space. The same has been confirmed recently by Raki Philips who is the chief executive of the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA).
Question Marks Linger on UAE’s Stance on Gambling
The legal casino resort developed by Wynn could mark a watershed moment not only in the UAE but also in the Gulf as a region. For the most part, the region has historically been strongly against any form of gambling. However, with Ras Al-Khaimah announcing the move to develop a casino resort, it appears that things might be changing in the UAE.
Thus, with the up-and-coming Wynn Al Marjan Island casino resort, the Gulf’s strong stance against gambling is set to be put to its sternest test yet. While excitement is rife on what this casino resort brings, it will be interesting to see how Wynn and the local government authorities maneuver the UAE’s penal code which still outlaws any form of gambling.
So, based on the current regulation, it would essentially mean that the casino resort is illegal. Nonetheless, regarding the concerns that have risen about the legality of the casino resort, Mr. Raki Philips pointed out that:
Quote“The UAE is a very forward-thinking nation, especially when it comes to tourism and what that impact of an investment will do. Regulations have been put in place, there are a lot of elements that have been put.”
Sources privy to these matters in the UAE indicate that to navigate the tricky issue of gambling, all the individual emirates would have to choose on their own whether to legalize gambling in some forms. This is the case with some other thorny issues like the legalization of alcohol where Sharjah is the only ‘Dry Emirate’ in the region, given that all forms of alcohol are prohibited by law.
Nonetheless, the Wynn Al Marjan Island casino resort make a successful debut, it will pave the way for other industry players to get a firm foothold in the region. One such player is Caesars Entertainment which already has some connections in place in Dubai. This opportunity was acknowledged by Caesars Entertainment's Anthony Costa, the Regional President of Caesar’s Palace. He commented:
Quote“That acceptance now that there is going to be the potential of gaming in the UAE, in whatever form it's going to be, allows people like Caesar’s and MGM as well to look at that closely. I think it’s wonderful. Like anybody, if a license is able to be bid for, any global gaming company is going to want to be actively involved in the conversation.”
Wynn Al Marjan Island May be Exclusive to Foreigners
Given the strict anti-gambling laws in the Persian Gulf, the Wynn Al Marjan Island IR is likely going to be strictly open to foreigners alone. Moreover, from what industry insiders are saying, RAK will potentially mirror the gambling regulations adopted by Singapore and the United States.
In the said jurisdictions, one of the main reasons casino resorts were set up was to ramp up their tourism efforts and generate more revenue for their tax coffers. So, by the same token, the target market for the Wynn Al Marjan Island IR are foreigners.
At the same time, the gaming aspect of the IR will possibly be more low-key as opposed to other attractions like spas, conference centers, and hotels. Of course, this is because strong laws anti-gambling laws still exist in the UAE. And while Wynn would benefit significantly if the gaming aspect of the casino resort was more pronounced, it will still rake in a significant amount on other attractions in the IR.
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