Dubai, famous for its skyscraper backdrop and the world’s first 7-star hotel, is a city known for its ability to reinvent itself. For decades, oil has been the city’s cash cow, but with those days behind it, Dubai now needs to focus on attracting more tourists.
This tourist increase is expected to happen thanks to the announcement that casino gaming is now permitted in the UAE, the first nation in the Gulf. Luxury casino projects are already underway. The Wynn Al Marjan Island casino resort in Ras Al Khaimah is on track to open in 2027 and will be the first of its kind in the region.
What does this mean for tourism, investment and travellers from India and Punjab—Dubai’s biggest visitor groups? For starters, it means job opportunities for millions and luxury travel choices for those seeking somewhere new.
Casino Resorts in the Emirates—A New Future
Allowing casino gambling has opened the door for land-based operators to build luxury casino-integrated resorts. Currently, there’s only one underway, and that’s slated for a 2027 opening. However, the door is open for more operators to apply for a licence and begin their own project.
The Wynn Al Marjan Island Project—The First of Its Kind
The Wynn Group was granted the first casino licence and embarked on a massive project located on the man-made Al Marjan Island in the Persian Gulf in Ras Al Khaimah. The location of this island is convenient for visitors to Dubai as it’s only 15 minutes from Ras Al Khaimah International Airport or 50 minutes from Dubai International Airport.
This massive project by Wynn is due to open in 2027 and will be something the UAE hasn’t yet seen. It’s a resort and entertainment complex with a 70-storey, 5-star luxury hotel and 24 restaurants, lounges and bars, including a beach club. The attraction for many tourists will be the 225, 000 square-foot casino, the first in the UAE.
Wynn is a household name in the casino world with a significant presence in the world’s best-known gambling destinations of Las Vegas and Macao, so it seemed fitting that it would be the first to have an operation in the Emirates.
The reason that a casino can be constructed in the UAE is thanks to the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), which was formed in 2024 and issued new gaming regulations.
Who Are the Other Major Players?
Wynn already has its sights on a second casino in Ras Al Khaimah and has reserved land plots in preparation.
There aren’t any publicly announced projects by others in the industry. Caesars Entertainment had been in Dubai for five years already with its Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai resort. It has been waiting for the regulations to change so it could be awarded a gambling licence. But when that came up, it was awarded to Wynn and not Caesars. At the end of 2023, frustrated by the outcome, Caesars left Dubai, and the hotel is now an Accor-branded Banyan Tree.
Oil drilling and supply is no longer the driving force in some UAE countries. In Dubai, for example, non-oil sectors, like real estate and tourism, outdid oil. Already in 2025, Dubai Airport welcomed 23.4 million passengers. With this many people visiting, the UAE needs to diversify its tourism economy beyond shopping and business travel, and instead appeal to high-end entertainment seekers, which means more casinos.
The Economic Impact for Tourists and Expats
Integrated resorts, especially ones with casinos, will have a positive impact on the economy in Dubai and the greater UAE. Revenue boosts will come from tourism, and the projects themselves will create more employment opportunities for locals and expats.
The Benefits for the Tourism Sector
Casino-integrated resorts are expected to generate billions in tourism revenue and boost the local job market. Integrated resorts are major tourism drivers, but it’s not for the casino. The real boost comes from hotel occupancy, dining, entertainment and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions) tourism.
What’s in It for Indian and Punjabi Workers?
Indian and Punjabi people make up the largest expat community in the UAE at 4.36 million. It’s estimated that around one-third of this population works in the construction and skilled labour sector.
The development of integrated casino-resorts like the Wynn Al Marjan Island project will provide a significant number of jobs for Indian and Punjabi workers looking to relocate here.
There is also a significant number of Indian and Punjabi people working in the tourism sector in Dubai, in particular, so more resorts here will create even more opportunities.
A Next Phase of Tourism for Indian Travellers
With the simplified visa process, the UAE is already a primary destination for Indian travellers. The introduction of strictly regulated and legal gambling is expected to boost the luxury inbound travel market from India.
Why This Matters to Indian Tourists
Indian outbound tourism statistics show that 25% of departures are for the UAE, with Mumbai to Dubai as the leading flight sector. In the first half of 2025, 1.2 million passengers travelled that route, making them the single largest source of tourists to the region.
Indian gamblers, who in the past would visit Macau, Singapore and Sri Lanka, now have their sights on the UAE.
The difference, however, between the UAE’s model and the other countries is that it’s expected to be highly regulated and upscale. The benefit for the region is that the market will attract more high-net-worth individuals, unlike mass-market destinations.
Luxury travel agencies are already anticipating increased weekend trips and package bookings once resorts open.
Cultural and Regulatory Sensitivity
Social values are paramount in the UAE, and gambling is a sensitive issue for many locals. The UAE federal and the seven states’ governments have a conservative and controlled approach to the gambling sector, with cultural boundaries being respected as a significant factor.
The rollout has clear guidelines; there are to be no standalone casinos—integrated resorts only. They must operate under strict licenses and with limited advertising. This framework is designed to balance economic ambition with social values, ensuring responsible entertainment and international compliance.
Responsible Gaming and Who’s Involved
With responsible gaming comes strict regulations and robust security. The UAE’s new authority was set up to ensure compliance.
A Transparent Gaming Framework
The GCGRA (General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority), established in 2024, is modelled on Western regulators like the Nevada Gaming Commission.
The authority has the final say on everything gambling-related and primarily will oversee licensing, cybersecurity and anti-money laundering (AML) compliance. These are the non-negotiable priorities for a finance-heavy city like Dubai.
Wynn was likely offered the first casino licence over others because it already follows strict international reporting standards, which helps to build confidence across the board.
How Responsible Tourism Will Be Managed
Gambling is a sensitive issue, especially the social risks associated with it; even more so in the Gulf regions. Dubai already has an image as being a safe and sophisticated global tourism hub, and it needs to stay this way. The gambling sector is already heavily regulated, and responsible tourism is at the forefront of many discussions.
The UAE aims to tackle this head on by focusing on enhanced visitor verification in the form of granting visas. Promotion of gambling is an area that needs strict regulations with an emphasis on responsible behaviour. To avoid any negative attitude towards the Authority, there will need to be 100% financial transparency across the board. Cybersecurity, data protection and player privacy will become the new focuses in the digital gaming and hospitality sectors.
The Gulf’s Entertainment Race—Why Dubai Is Winning
Dubai’s (and the rest of the UAE’s) biggest tourism competitor is the neighbouring Middle East. Saudi Arabia’s NEOM project, Qatar’s post-World Cup tourism campaigns and Bahrain’s resort developments all aim to attract international visitors. The UAE needs to step up its offering to attract some of that market.
As gambling had been banned across the Middle East until last year, Dubai’s willingness to innovate within cultural limits gives it a potential first-mover advantage. Gambling at sites that can be found at EmiratesCasino via a VPN will no longer be the only option for locals and tourists.
In some cases, first is best, and the Wynn Al Marjan Island project will attract tourists. The expectation is that more Indian tourists will choose Dubai over faraway destinations for luxury vacations, conferences or entertainment travel.
Dubai Bets on a New Future
It’s important to understand that the UAE’s move into regulated casino tourism isn’t a cultural shift; it’s a strategic economic evolution, providing more jobs and attracting more visitors.
Tourism entertainment in the Middle East is set to be redefined in the next five years by combining luxury, security and responsible regulation.
For the millions of Indian and Punjabi visitors who already see Dubai as a second home, the next trip might include an entirely new kind of experience—one that reflects the city’s enduring talent for reinvention.