Aristocrat Gaming has been approved to do business in the United Arab Emirates after being granted a gaming-related vendor licence by the country’s gambling regulator General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA).
The firm has stated that it is the first international slot and online technology company to be granted a gaming-related vendor licence by GCGRA, following its establishment last year.
With its licence, Aristocrat will provide its gaming content, hardware and services in the UAE, offering its land-based electronic gaming machines, online games and technology solutions to GCGRA-licensed commercial gaming operators.
Hector Fernandez, CEO of Gaming for Aristocrat, commented: “We are honoured to be the first large, international technology provider to be awarded a gaming-related vendor licence to serve the UAE market.
“At Aristocrat, our vision is to deliver the best seat in the house wherever, and whenever the world plays. We look forward to doing so by providing premium content for players in the UAE while simultaneously encouraging responsible gameplay.”
Aristocrat isn’t the only company with a licence in the UAE, as earlier this month, Wynn Resorts announced it had been awarded a commercial gaming operator licence in the country for its upcoming Wynn Al Marjan Island resort in Ras Al Khaimah (RAK).
Wynn Resorts has been developing and constructing a resort at Wynn Al Marjan Island in RAK over the past year as part of a joint venture between affiliates of Wynn Resorts, Marjan and RAK Hospitality Holding.
The operator has also outlined its financial forecasts for its upcoming Wynn Al Marjan Island resort, where it projects gross gaming revenue (GGR) of up to $1.66bn.
MGM Resorts also has an interest in the UAE, as the operator submitted a formal application for a casino license in Abu Dhabi back in September.
Furthermore, according to Global Investments, analysts at Morgan Stanley have recently underpinned just how lucrative the UAE’s gaming market could be.
Morgan Stanley has predicted that the region’s GGR could total up to $5bn annually, drawing comparisons to Singapore as the investment bank believes the UAE can rival or even exceed that market.
