UAE’s First Casino Resort: Wynn Al Marjan Island Opening 2027

Wynn Resorts has indicated that the resort will adhere to all regulatory guidelines and ethical standards, ensuring a responsible approach to gaming and hospitality. The company is working closely with UAE authorities to ensure compliance with local laws and regulations, which are designed to maintain social norms while fostering economic growth. This strategic move by Wynn Resorts is also seen as a response to growing competition in the luxury travel sector, with several global brands vying to establish a foothold in the UAE’s lucrative market. The resort’s gaming facilities will be designed to attract high-net-worth individuals and gaming enthusiasts from around the world, potentially boosting the local economy and creating numerous job opportunities. The new resort will feature a wide array of amenities, including a large casino floor, luxury hotel suites, fine dining establishments, and extensive leisure facilities.

UAE’s First Casino Resort: Wynn Al Marjan Island’s Unveiling Foretells Legal Gambling Horizon

An exciting new casino is being planned against a backdrop of fierce competition in the Gulf. Which is rapidly developing for the region’s preferred location as it diversifies away from dependence on oil. A resort without a casino is operated by Caesars Palace in Dubai’s regional business district, and MGM Resorts International is developing a resort. The resort is not anticipated to open to visitors until 2026, so those hoping to indulge in Wynn’s opulent buffets, marvel at its live entertainment, and browse its boutique shops will have to wait a little while. Ras Al Khaimah Wynn Resort will be situated on an almost 250,000 square meter plot. The five-star facilities offer stunning views of the Arabian Gulf, sandy beaches, and even a marina for guests to enjoy.

The magnificence of the resort

The UAE’s first gaming resort is expected to boost visits to Ras Al Khaimah and attract travellers previously unaware of the emirate’s offerings, but that is only a part of a much wider tourism strategy. Tourists can currently stay at these top hotels on Marjan Island in RAK while Wynn’s new hotel is still under construction. As an alternative, there are numerous other top-notch hotels and resorts in RAK that are deserving of consideration.

Designed by Wynn Design & Development, the 1,530 rooms, suites, and villas feature a private entry vestibule, floor-to-ceiling Gulf views, and interiors inspired by regional art and 18th-19th century elegance. The resort will also offer 24 dining venues, a five-star spa, high-end shopping, 12 pools, a private marina, and a 420-meter beach, promising an elevated beachfront experience. This development comes at a time when the UAE is seeking to enhance its global position as a premier destination for luxury travel and high-end entertainment. By incorporating casino gaming into its hospitality offerings, the UAE aims to attract a broader range of international tourists and elevate its status as a global luxury destination.

Moreover, improving hiking trails and marketing its beaches and mountains to visitors seeking open, expansive areas for personal wellness. As well as there will be a large convention center, an upscale mall, a relaxing spa, and a variety of entertainment options. However, since the announcement, the resort’s gaming area has attracted the most interest. Rebecca Hall, formerly the Director of PR & Communications at Atlantis Dubai, has returned to the UAE to join Wynn Al Marjan Island as Executive Director of Public Relations. The highly anticipated Ras Al Khaimah resort — set to be the first in the UAE to feature a casino — continues to draw top hospitality talent ahead of its landmark opening. The resort will include 22 restaurants, lounges and bars, a beach club, a spa and beauty destination, a retail parterre, 12 pools, a 420 metre white sand beach and a deep water marina capable of accommodating superyachts.

• The development, led by Wynn Resorts in partnership with Marjan, has reached its highest structural concrete point at 283 metres across 70 floors, just 27 months after foundation works began.
• During the aftermath of Covid-19, Ras Al Khaimah continues to recover from the effects by opening new hotels and developing Jebel Jais attractions.
• This strategic move by Wynn Resorts is also seen as a response to growing competition in the luxury travel sector, with several global brands vying to establish a foothold in the UAE’s lucrative market.
• Sustainability is a core focus, with LEED Gold targets, solar power offsetting over 35% of energy use, electric ground vehicles, and future SAF compatibility.
• Set across more than 60 hectares, Wynn Al Marjan Island will feature 1,217 resort rooms, 297 Enclave suites, two Royal Apartments, four Garden Townhomes and 10 Marina Estates.

Gambling remains prohibited in the Emirates, as it is across the Gulf, but the UAE set up the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority to oversee and supervise commercial "gaming activities". These include lotteries, internet gaming, sports betting and integrated gaming centres or resorts. The resort will have 1,530 rooms, 22 restaurants, a nightclub, salon, spa, designer boutiques, an events centre, several pools and a marina. Marjan positions Ras Al Khaimah as a potent investment and tourism hub by attracting foreign investment and international visitors to its world-class master-planned communities.

Billings also emphasized Wynn Resorts’ attention to the market’s non-gaming segments. “As we spend more time there, and I’ve just returned from there-we become more trusting of the non-gaming aspects of that market. The following section examines what is currently known about this intriguing development. Wynn, which is developing the new resort alongside local partners Marjan and RAK Hospitality Holding, uae betting sites also said the Wynn Al Marjan Island will offer nightly laser and light shows. In parallel, Wynn Resorts and Marjan are advancing a second joint venture on Al Marjan Island, Janu Al Marjan Island, which was announced in November 2025 and is now under construction.

“We have spent the past year meticulously programming and concepting Wynn Al Marjan Island, carefully considering its unique location,” Wynn chief executive Craig Billings said. “I am incredibly proud of our design and development team’s ability to impart our legacy of rich, thoughtful design into a sun-soaked beachside resort that will delight customers, new and old. With responses gathered from 2,000 participants over six months, a significant portion of respondents (81%) were from Ras Al Khaimah, indicating strong local interest and engagement. Scheduled to open in 2026 on Marjan Island, this development marks a significant milestone in the region’s tourism and entertainment scene. A significant highlight of the resort is the UAE’s inaugural casino, as confirmed by Wynn Resorts CEO, Craig Billings, in September 2022. The casino resort is envisaged to surpass the scale of Wynn Las Vegas, holding promise for avid gamers.

When Wynn Marjan was revealed in January 2022, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) made a separate announcement confirming the creation of a new division overseeing integrated resorts. Using the best practices from Singaporean and US legislation, the Department of Entertainment and Gaming Regulation within RAKTDA is creating gaming laws while considering the Emirate’s social, cultural, and environmental backdrop. On RAK’s Marjan Island, a man-made island that stretches 4.5 kilometers into the gulf of Arabian, the resort will be situated.

Moreover, the resort uses only renewable energy to meet nearly 70% of its peak demand. With 671 hotel rooms, an ultra-premium spa, specialty shops, 16 dining and lounge locations, a state-of-the-art ballroom and meeting spaces, a six-acre public park, and Harborwalk, Encore Boston Harbor is a luxury resort. Wynn Resorts will make a sizeable amount of foreign direct investment in the construction of the integrated resort. It is the largest project of its kind in the developing hospitality industry of the Emirate. Additionally, it will significantly benefit the local economy by boosting tourism, generating jobs, and igniting the expansion of related industries.

Schoen has over 30 years of experience On the website in luxury hospitality, having managed prestigious brands such as Sheraton, Westin, Le Meridien, St Regis, W Hotels, and Hyatt. Wynn Resorts’ UAE casino project represents a major milestone in the region’s evolving tourism sector, reflecting a growing trend towards integrating diverse entertainment options within luxury resort environments. As the project progresses, it will likely have a substantial impact on both the local economy and the global hospitality industry, setting a precedent for future developments in the region. Wynn Resorts has announced its ambitious plans for establishing the UAE’s first legal casino destination, marking a significant shift in the region’s hospitality and entertainment landscape.

Besides the casino, guests can immerse themselves in a world of entertainment with a theater for unique productions and daily light and laser shows. “If you look at the emirate now, there is a lot of construction going on, getting ready for not just our hotel, but all the other hotels. And what happens in destinations is, there is this constant evolving that goes on in creating more and more infrastructure,” he said.