Wynn Al Marjan Island is the UAE’s first GCGRA-licensed integrated casino resort, developed by Wynn Resorts on Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah. The USD 5.1 billion property has 1,542 keys and a 225,000 sq ft casino floor, opening Q1 / March 2027. The licence holder is Island 3 AMI FZ-LLC, a partnership between Wynn Resorts, Marjan and RAK Hospitality Holding. The building topped out in December 2025 and reservations are expected to open in late 2026; we’re running a no-cost booking-alert list below.
The UAE has never had a casino. Not in Dubai, not in Abu Dhabi, not anywhere in the federation until the GCGRA was established in September 2023 and the regulator awarded its first land-based commercial gaming licence to Island 3 AMI FZ-LLC on 4 October 2024 for the Wynn Al Marjan Island project. Until that licence was issued, every previous attempt at structured gambling in the Gulf had ended either as a non-starter (Sharjah’s short-lived casino concept in the late 1970s) or as a soft-money workaround (pari-mutuel raffle systems at Meydan Racecourse). For the wider context, see the full UAE gaming timeline and how the GCGRA licenses casinos.
Wynn Al Marjan Island represents the architectural and commercial centrepiece of the GCGRA’s integrated-resort model. The structure follows the Las Vegas / Macau template where a casino floor is one of perhaps fifteen revenue components in a property; the resort exists as a tourism asset, with gaming as one anchor among hospitality, dining, retail, conferencing and entertainment.
Wynn Resorts is led by CEO Craig Billings; Marilyn Spiegel is president overseeing the resort operation. The UAE licence is held by Island 3 AMI FZ-LLC, a joint venture of Wynn Resorts, master developer Marjan and RAK Hospitality Holding. The GCGRA is the regulator. Al Marjan Island itself is the man-made archipelago developed by Marjan (marjan.ae) — it is a location, not a company with its own casino CEO.
The GCGRA (General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority) was established by federal decree in September 2023 and awarded the UAE’s first land-based commercial gaming licence to Island 3 AMI FZ-LLC on 4 October 2024. This is recorded on the GCGRA licensee register. Read more on how the GCGRA licenses casinos and the wider UAE gambling laws.
Yes. Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025 (effective 1 June 2026) removed the gambling chapter from the UAE Civil Transactions Law, making GCGRA-licensed gaming contracts civilly enforceable. This works alongside the framework in Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021. If you are weighing online options in the meantime, see is online gambling legal in the UAE.
All GCGRA-licensed products carry a strict 21+ minimum age and are expected to offer self-exclusion and player-protection tools consistent with the regulator’s framework. See our responsible gaming resources.
Featured · International audience
Wynn Al Marjan is land-based only and does not open until 2027. UAE residents who want to play now should use the GCGRA-licensed Play971, the GCGRA-licensed online option or read our TrueWin review. The editor-ranked international brands below are Not GCGRA-licensed and are shown for non-UAE-resident readers only.
UAE residents: these operators do not hold a GCGRA licence; participating in unlicensed gambling can incur fines up to AED 500,000 under Decree-Laws 31/2021 + 34/2021. See the GCGRA-licensed operators elsewhere on the site. Affiliate disclosure.
Slot and table counts have not been publicly disclosed. Wynn has historically opened with a mix of approximately 1,500–2,000 slot machines and 200–300 table games in its Las Vegas and Macau properties; expect numbers in that order of magnitude unless the regulator imposes specific caps.
Wynn’s public statements have remained on schedule throughout the project, with one minor caveat issued in early 2026 noting potential supply-chain risk that could move opening by a quarter. Our base-case assumption is March 2027.
The 225,000 sq ft gaming floor (20,900 sq m main casino footprint) will be the UAE’s first regulated land-based casino space. Expect the standard Wynn mix of slots, table games (blackjack, baccarat, roulette, craps, plus regional and proprietary variants), high-limit rooms, a poker room, and bingo. Vendor approvals under the GCGRA process so far include Aristocrat, IGT, Light & Wonder, Novomatic, Konami and Scientific Games — the entire major-vendor mainstream — so the slot floor will feel familiar to anyone who has played at Wynn Las Vegas or Wynn Macau.
The minimum age for gaming-floor entry is 21, consistent with all GCGRA-licensed products. Emirates ID or a valid passport will be required for entry verification. Dress code is expected to follow the broader Wynn aesthetic (smart casual, no beachwear on the casino floor) though Wynn has not formally published the dress policy at the time of this page. On the practical side of playing at a UAE casino, see how UAE cards handle gambling payments under MCC 7995.
Beyond the main floor, the property is designed with a distinctive sky gaming casino on the 22nd floor — an elevated high-limit gaming environment overlooking the marina and Arabian Gulf, a feature unique among the resort’s peers.
The 1,542 keys break down across standard rooms, Enclave suites (Wynn’s mid-tier suite category), Royal Apartments (the top-tier marketed suites), and standalone villa products including Garden Townhomes and Marina Estates. Wynn’s pricing structure in other markets puts standard room rates at the upper end of luxury but below ultra-luxury independents; expect entry rack rates in the AED 1,500–3,000 range per night for standard rooms with Enclave suites at AED 5,000+.
22 F&B venues spans Wynn’s international restaurant brands plus debut concepts. Wynn Las Vegas has historically been a strong food destination on its own merits; the Al Marjan property is being briefed similarly.
A theatre is being built for residency shows and touring productions. The nightclub format follows the XS / Encore Beach Club lineage from Las Vegas, calibrated to local norms. The spa is full-service, with the Wynn brand’s standard wellness positioning. The marina is deep-water and is being positioned as a Mediterranean-style yachting destination. The 15,000 sq m retail promenade is being designed as a curated experience rather than a generic mall.
RAK is the most gaming-permissive emirate. It is also the natural geography for a beachfront integrated-resort property at this scale — Al Marjan Island is a man-made archipelago purpose-built for tourism development, with infrastructure that didn’t need retrofitting to support a 7,000-staff resort. The emirate’s leadership has been the most publicly aligned with the GCGRA’s commercial-gaming agenda since the regulator was established.
Geographically, the property sits a 45–60 minute drive north of Dubai International Airport via Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, or a shorter direct connection via Ras Al Khaimah International Airport. RAK Airport is being expanded ahead of the resort opening, with additional international routes announced for late 2026. Final access onto the island is via the purpose-built Wynn Bridge, a 548-metre span connecting Al Marjan Island to the mainland.
Reservations are expected to open in late 2026. The standard Wynn booking pattern starts with a soft-open priority window for existing Wynn loyalty members (Wynn Insider tier and above) approximately 3–6 months ahead of public booking, followed by a public-launch window with general availability. Expect rate volatility around the opening weekend in March 2027 — demand will spike across regional press, regional UHNW circles, and international Wynn loyalty.
We’re running a free notification list below that will alert you the day reservations open publicly. We don’t take payment for this and we don’t share the list. It exists to make sure you don’t miss the booking window.
Join the booking waitlist ← Back to homepage Play971 (live online)
Wynn Al Marjan is one of the largest single hospitality-hiring events in UAE history, targeting on the order of 9,000 roles at full operation. Recruitment ramps through 2026 ahead of the Q1 2027 opening. Both expatriate and Emirati candidates are being hired, in line with the UAE’s Emiratisation goals for the private sector.
Wynn has not published a UAE salary grid; expect competitive tax-free packages benchmarked to the luxury-resort market, typically with accommodation or allowance, transport and medical cover for many roles. Apply only through Wynn Resorts’ official careers portal — be cautious of third-party sites or agents requesting fees, which are a common recruitment-scam pattern around high-profile openings.
See our dedicated Wynn Al Marjan Island careers guide — role categories, how to apply, and the hiring timeline.
How the UAE property compares with Wynn’s flagship integrated resorts:
| Property | Location | Hotel keys | Casino gaming floor | Opened |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wynn Al Marjan Island | Ras Al Khaimah, UAE | 1,542 | ~225,000 sq ft | Q1 2027 (target) |
| Wynn Las Vegas (incl. Encore) | Las Vegas, USA | ~4,750 | ~186,000 sq ft | 2005 (Encore 2008) |
| Wynn Macau | Macau SAR, China | ~1,000 | ~273,000 sq ft (est.) | 2006 |
Las Vegas and Macau figures are published Wynn Resorts benchmarks; Al Marjan figures are the operator’s pre-launch specifications and may be refined at opening.
The tower topped out structurally in December 2025 and moved into interior fit-out through 2026, with the exterior curtain wall and the Wynn Bridge among the most visible milestones. Official renders show the curved tower, marina promenade and beachfront pools. We publish dated construction-watch images and renders as they are released.
Wynn Al Marjan Island is the UAE’s first GCGRA-licensed integrated casino resort, developed by Wynn Resorts on Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah. The USD 5.1 billion property has 1,542 keys and a 225,000 sq ft casino floor, opening Q1 2027.
Wynn Resorts is led by CEO Craig Billings; Marilyn Spiegel is president overseeing the resort operation. The UAE licence is held by Island 3 AMI FZ-LLC, a joint venture of Wynn Resorts, Marjan and RAK Hospitality Holding.
It is built by the licensee Island 3 AMI FZ-LLC, a joint venture between Wynn Resorts, master developer Marjan and RAK Hospitality Holding, on Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah. The casino is regulated by the GCGRA.
Al Marjan Island is the man-made archipelago developed by Marjan (marjan.ae), the RAK master developer — it is a location, not a company with its own casino CEO. The Wynn resort on it is operated by Wynn Resorts under CEO Craig Billings, with the licence held by Island 3 AMI FZ-LLC.
Wynn Al Marjan Island is targeted to open in Q1 / March 2027. The building topped out in December 2025, with fit-out and hiring through 2026 and reservations expected to open in late 2026.
Bookings are expected to open in late 2026. We’re running a no-cost waitlist to notify you when reservations go live publicly.
Wynn has not publicly disclosed slot or table counts yet. Based on Wynn’s Las Vegas and Macau benchmarks, expect approximately 1,500–2,000 slots and 200–300 table games unless the GCGRA imposes specific caps. We’ll update this page when the operator publishes confirmed numbers.
Yes. The GCGRA issued the UAE’s first commercial gaming licence to Island 3 AMI FZ-LLC on 4 October 2024, and Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025 (effective 1 June 2026) removed the gambling chapter from the UAE Civil Transactions Law, making GCGRA-licensed gaming contracts civilly enforceable.
Wynn Al Marjan is hiring across casino operations (dealers, cage, security/surveillance), hotel operations, food and beverage, spa, marketing and HR — around 9,000 roles at full operation. Apply through Wynn Resorts’ official careers portal and be cautious of third-party sites requesting fees.
Yes — the integrated-resort model is designed for both tourists and UAE residents aged 21+. Entry requires Emirates ID or a valid passport at the casino floor.
Wynn has not formally published the Al Marjan dress policy. The Wynn brand standard is smart casual with no beachwear on the casino floor; expect that to apply here too, calibrated to local norms.
Alcohol is available at licensed venues in the UAE, including international-resort settings, and Wynn is positioned for it. Specific casino-floor policies will be set by the operator within the GCGRA’s licensing framework. We’ll confirm once policy is published.
By car, approximately 45–60 minutes north on Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road. Direct flights to Ras Al Khaimah International Airport will be expanded ahead of opening. A direct shuttle service from Dubai International is rumoured but not yet announced.
For online gaming the licensed option for UAE residents is Play971, not Wynn. Wynn Al Marjan is land-based only at present.
Wynn’s public statements have remained on schedule. A 2026 update noted potential supply-chain risk that could move opening by approximately one quarter; the base case remains March 2027. We’ll update this page if Wynn issues a revised opening target.
This page was last verified on 2 July 2026. Sources include the GCGRA licensee register (Island 3 AMI FZ-LLC, licence issued 4 October 2024), Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025 and Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021, Wynn Resorts investor materials, iGaming Business and Hotelier Middle East coverage, and Wynn Al Marjan Island’s own pre-launch site. Construction progress and the opening target are subject to revision — we update this page when the operator issues new statements.