Country guide · United Arab Emirates
Gambling in the UAE is legal only under a licence from the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), which licensed its first online gaming operator in November 2025. The live casinos on this page are internationally licensed sites that accept players from the UAE, according to our data. None of them is GCGRA-licensed. Gambling outside a GCGRA licence is a criminal offence.
Legal status
Checked 6 Oct 2026
Legal only with a GCGRA licence
The federal GCGRA, set up in 2023, licenses commercial gaming, and in November 2025 it licensed its first online gaming and sports betting operator. Trade press has reported that the framework allows at most one online operator per emirate, but as of January 2026 the GCGRA had not confirmed it. Gambling outside a GCGRA licence remains a criminal offence.
Summary of the law as checked on 6 October 2026. Not legal advice.
Sources: GCGRA (gcgra.gov.ae); Bird & Bird, January 2026; Legal 500, January 2026.
Year the GCGRA was established.
Reported maximum of online operators per emirate (unconfirmed).
Timeline
Sources: gcgra.gov.ae; Legal 500, January 2026; Bird & Bird, January 2026.
Offshore live casinos
Internationally licensed sites that take players from the UAE. None holds a GCGRA licence, and gambling outside a GCGRA licence remains a criminal offence in the UAE. Check the law and decide for yourself before you play. 21+.
18+ · T&Cs Apply · Play Responsibly
18+ · T&Cs Apply · Play Responsibly
18+ · T&Cs Apply · Play Responsibly
18+ · T&Cs Apply · Play Responsibly
18+ · T&Cs Apply · Play Responsibly
18+ · T&Cs Apply · Play Responsibly
Only at operators licensed by the GCGRA. The first online gaming operator was licensed in November 2025.
Gambling without a GCGRA licence is illegal in the UAE.
Each country page shows the live casinos in our ranking that accept players from that country. For the UAE these are internationally licensed sites. None of them holds a GCGRA licence.
Help
Exclude yourself from licensed gambling with GCGRA Voluntary Self-Exclusion (VSE) program.
How to set deposit and time limits and spot the warning signs.
Responsible gaming →Where to find support and how self-exclusion works.
Gambling addiction help →Countries Live
