Skip to content
18+ Gamble responsibly
EN

Photo: MAMADO UAE / Pexels

Best online casinos in the United Arab Emirates

the United Arab Emirates licenses online casinos through the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (United Arab Emirates). Locally licensed casinos are listed first and marked; every entry shows its licence and whether it accepts players from the United Arab Emirates.

Regulated market 21+ 176 casinos By the Gambling Hero editorial team · Checked October 25, 2026

Short answer

176 casinos in our database accept players from the United Arab Emirates, 0 of them with a local licence. The minimum age to gamble is 21.

We may earn a commission from some casinos listed here. It does not affect our ratings. Affiliate disclosure

146 more casinos accept players from the United Arab Emirates. Browse all casinos

What casinos for the United Arab Emirates look like

Of the 176 casinos in our database that accept players from the United Arab Emirates, the most common licences are Kahnawà:ke Gaming Commission (49), Anjouan Offshore Finance Authority (gaming licences) (45), Malta Gaming Authority (40). The payment methods they name most often are Visa (117), Mastercard (111), Skrill (104), Bank Transfer (SEPA / SWIFT) (91), Bitcoin (BTC) (91). A live casino is available at 160 of these sites; 112 take crypto payments. Their average score in our ratings is 6.9 out of 10. The local licence for the United Arab Emirates is held by 0 of these casinos.

Legal situation in the United Arab Emirates

Commercial gaming in the United Arab Emirates is regulated at federal level by the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), established by Federal Law by Decree and headquartered in Abu Dhabi. The Authority regulates lotteries, internet gaming, sports wagering and land-based gaming facilities. Under UAE federal law, only operators approved by the GCGRA may run lotteries or commercial gaming, and conducting commercial gaming without a GCGRA licence is illegal.

The GCGRA has licensed a small number of operators. The Game LLC holds the sole lottery licence (the UAE Lottery), Island 3 AMI FZ-LLC (Wynn Al Marjan) holds a land-based gaming facility licence, and Coin Technology Projects LLC holds the internet gaming and sports wagering licences. Its Play971 platform went live in December 2025 as the country's first licensed internet gaming site. According to its published terms, players must be at least 21, physically located in the UAE, verified with an Emirates ID, and must not use VPNs or other tools to hide their location.

Online casino play is legal only on GCGRA-licensed internet gaming platforms, for players aged 21 or over who are physically in the UAE.

Check that a site appears on the GCGRA's list of licensees before registering. The licensed platform provides deposit limits, time-outs and a self-exclusion option of at least six months.

Full legal overview for United Arab Emirates · General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (United Arab Emirates)