A leader in providing expert solutions and strategic advisory in the global gaming industry, SCCG Management is continuously delivering high-quality tools and materials about the sector.
In this case, as part of its partnership with G&M News, the company is sharing an exclusive excerpt of The Full UAE Gambling Industry Research Report. Let’s take a closer look at this very insightful document.
UAE’s regulatory breakthrough for online gambling came in late 2025, moving beyond theoretical discussion to actual platforms. Three key developments illustrate the new landscape: the Play971 iGaming launch, and the TrueWin/Dream Island sites operated by the national lottery company.
A. Play971 – First Licensed iGaming Platform
License Basis: Coin Technology Projects LLC (a subsidiary of Momentum LLC) received the first public GCGRA license for online gaming and sports wagering. Its platform, Play971, went live in late November 2025. This was a groundbreaking “field trial” – GCGRA allowed limited rollout (currently in Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah) under close observation. An official full rollout (nationwide) is expected in early 2026 if the trial succeeds. Play971’s license comes under the GCGRA’s Internet Gaming category.
Product Offering: Play971 offers a full suite of betting products: online casino games (slots, table games, live dealers), sports betting (football, tennis, etc.) and racing bets. Its software providers include OneTouch (Hub88) for slots and live casino, and Evolution Gaming for live tables (though Evolution’s licensing is pending). Sportsbook markets rely on data from Sportradar and others. The site enforces strict geolocation via UAE-based provider Xpoint, ensuring only users on UAE soil (non-Emirati) may play. Payment systems integrate local platforms for convenience and AML compliance. As the only licensed online operator, Play971 currently appears unblocked within the UAE (other foreign betting sites remain inaccessible).
Operator Structure: Momentum LLC, an Abu Dhabi gaming and tech company, is the driving force. Momentum’s subsidiary The Game LLC (already licensed for the UAE national lottery) shares the same address as Coin Technology Projects. In practice, Coin Technology (Momentum) runs Play971. Momentum is diversifying into esports and gaming publishing, but Play971 marks its entry into regulated gambling.
Regulatory Significance: Play971 proves that the GCGRA will grant online gambling licenses under a structured model. The framework allows at most one iGaming license per emirate, mirroring the land-based approach. This suggests up to seven online operators (one per emirate).
Crucially, the GCGRA is regulating the site actively: players must register, deposit, and wager under the same anti-money laundering and protection rules as casinos. Its launch signals that UAE is treating iGaming as a legitimate, licensed industry, not a black market. Given Emiratis remain banned from gambling by law, the target audience is expatriates and tourists. The successful trial of Play971 is likely to encourage other operators (e.g. global online brands) to seek GCGRA approval, provided they align with the local license structure.
B. TrueWin & Dream Island – Lottery-Operator Online Platforms
Launch Details: Momentum (The Game LLC) simultaneously initiated two online gaming websites, TrueWin and Dream Island, offering casino and sportsbook products. These sites went live around December 2025. Both have full gaming portfolios (slots, live tables, and international sports) and are accessible within the UAE. Domain records show Dream Island was registered as early as 2020, and TrueWin in March 2023, indicating extensive preparation. The Game LLC had earlier operated a simple “lottery-style” site (Emirates Draw style) but replaced it with these full gambling platforms, redirecting users to TrueWin.
Legal Ambiguity: TrueWin and Dream Island are not formally GCGRA-licensed platforms. They are instead piggybacking on The Game’s government-sanctioned lottery framework. The sites do not display a GCGRA license logo, and momentum has not publicized any new license award for them. This places them in a regulatory grey zone: technically still illegal under the Cybercrime Law (which forbids “unauthorized” online betting), but no enforcement action has been taken. The likely rationale is that The Game’s lottery license – granted by the GCGRA in July 2024 – might allow some expansion into related gaming products. The operator has not publicly clarified whether it views these as covered by the lottery license or as a temporary experiment awaiting regulation.
Implications: These platforms demonstrate a “lottery gateway” strategy. By extending a state-sanctioned lottery entity into casinos/sports, Momentum has created the country’s first de facto online casino without explicit federal casino law. This could pressure regulators to formalize online gaming rules quickly. TrueWin/Dream Island effectively compete with Play971 and show that global iGaming companies may need to partner with the local lottery or form new consortia. It also signals that regulatory tolerance may exist for innovators moving first and seeking retroactive approval. For players, it means an immediate (albeit legally uncertain) gambling option. For regulators, these platforms test enforcement – should the GCGRA grandfather them in, shut them down, or require licensing? Finally, their success or failure will inform how the GCGRA crafts the future licensing approach for internet gaming (e.g. fees, terms, and anti-fraud measures).
C. Reconciling Online Gaming with Prior Law
The emergence of licensed online gaming required reconciling it with pre-existing anti-gambling statutes. The Criminal/Cyber Laws (Decree-Law 31/2021 and 34/2021) still technically prohibit online betting. In practice, UAE authorities are transitioning to a regulated regime, likely via a formal legislative change or special decree. Industry analysts expect a repeal or amendment to decriminalize licensed gaming within 2025–2026, similar to how alcohol consumption by non-Muslims was quietly legalized in 2020. Until then, the GCGRA is effectively granting “conditional permission” to licensed operators, trusting they will operate legally even though the old law is on the books. Compliance is being enforced through licensing rather than criminalization: all legitimate operators are instructed to follow strict KYC/AML and geo-fencing, and public advisories warn players against unlicensed sites.
Under GCGRA guidance, licensed online operators must implement full AML controls: customer ID verification (including source-of-funds checks), transaction monitoring, and suspicious activity reporting. They must also follow the UAE’s Responsible Gaming standards (age 21+ verification, deposit/spend limits, self-exclusion options). Unlike many jurisdictions, Emirati nationals remain prohibited by law from participation, so geofencing must block UAE IDs even if on UAE soil. The licensing environment is still evolving: one key question is the tax regime for online gaming revenues, but it is anticipated to be similar to the lottery (low single-digit tax plus corporate tax) unless specified otherwise. In sum, the UAE is building a strict “closed loop” for commercial online gaming, reconciling past prohibitions by making all participants (operators and players) go through the regulatory system.
Readers can now check The Full UAE Gambling Industry Research Report by SCCG Research here.