Israeli gambling company to establish new regional headquarters in Ras Al Khaimah

ABU DHABI, Jan. 30 (YPA) – An Israeli gambling company has announced plans to open a new regional headquarters in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates.

According to the report, the move comes ahead of the planned opening of what is expected to be the Middle East’s largest casino on Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah in early 2027.

Hebrew-language media said the step by NYCE is part of a strategic expansion aimed at strengthening the company’s presence in the Middle East and neighboring markets.

Last year, US-based Wynn Resorts, a major player in the global hotel and casino industry, announced it had obtained the UAE’s first casino license for a project under development in Ras Al Khaimah.

The Las Vegas–based company said it is developing a luxury resort on Al Marjan Island, adding that the project—still under construction—will be a joint venture between its subsidiaries, Marjan, and RAK Hospitality Holding.

In 2023, the UAE established a federal authority to regulate gambling activities and appointed industry veterans from the United States to lead it, following years of speculation over whether the country would permit such activities. Gambling has long been illegal across the conservative Gulf region.

The move toward legalizing gambling comes amid intensifying economic competition within the Gulf, particularly with Saudi Arabia.

The introduction of casinos represents a major shift for the United Arab Emirates, where gambling is prohibited under Islamic law and illegal under national legislation. Offenders can face fines, prison sentences of up to two years, or both.

There are currently no casinos in any of the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, although casinos operate in some Arab countries, including Lebanon and Egypt.

@E.Y.M