Opening of UAE’s first casino to face ‘modest’ delays following Iran war

The opening of the UAE’s first casino resort faces a “modest delay,” says the CEO of the group that will operate the venue, in the aftermath of the Middle East war and Hormuz blockade.

“While we have faced logistical and shipping challenges in the region, deliveries have largely continued and we are rerouting shipments and sourcing alternative materials where needed,” Craig Billings, CEO of Wynn Resorts says.

“We do expect a modest delay in our opening timeline, and I expect that we will quantify that in the coming months,” he says, with the opening still expected to be in 2027.

Wynn, a US company, operates casinos in Las Vegas and Boston as well as in Macau, a Chinese territory close to Hong Kong.

In October 2024, the group received the first commercial gaming operator’s license to be issued by the UAE, where gambling is currently banned.

It is now developing a luxury resort at Wynn Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah, one of the seven emirates that constitute the UAE.

The 1,542-room resort will have gaming amenities and was scheduled to open in early 2027.

Ras Al Khaimah, a quiet place, is one of the UAE’s less wealthy emirates and a popular destination for domestic holidays.

The northernmost emirate is the closest Emirati territory to the Strait of Hormuz, now blockaded by Iran.

Iran has targeted the UAE more than any other country during the war, hitting US assets and civilian infrastructure, while its blockade of Hormuz has impeded oil exports and port operations.

Since the ceasefire came into place in April, the UAE has reported some Iranian attacks, though Tehran denies striking the country.

Gulf states have been stuck between war and peace as talks stall and the vital Strait of Hormuz remains all but closed.

Gambling is prohibited under Islamic laws in the oil-rich Gulf state, where the population is 90 percent foreign.