UAE to start gaming?

While the other emirates haven’t announced similar deals, casino operator Caesars Palace operates a massive resort already in Dubai – without gambling

PRAVASISAMWAD.COM

Ras al-Khaimah, one of the seven sheikhdoms in the United Arab Emirates has said that it will allow “gaming” while announcing a multibillion-dollar deal with Las Vegas-based casino giant Wynn Resorts. This, despite the ban on gambling. AP reported that the announcement by Ras al-Khaimah came after months of rumors about gambling coming to the UAE, home to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Ras al-Khaimah is the northern-most emirate in the UAE, a federation in which individual rulers wield wide powers in their emirate. Ras al-Khaimah, or “the top of the tent” in Arabic, is ruled by Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi and is most-widely known for its eponymous RAK Ceramics company.

While the other emirates haven’t announced similar deals, casino operator Caesars Palace operates a massive resort already in Dubai – without gambling. Initially, a statement issued by Wynn Resorts and Ras al-Khaimah authorities only referred to “gaming”, without elaborating.

The emirate’s Tourism Development Authority repeatedly declined to answer questions from The Associated Press on whether “gaming” involved cash betting.

“The newly announced integrated resort is still in its early design phase and due for completion by 2026,” a follow-up statement from Marjan, the Ras al Khaimah developer involved in the deal, said. “These are all the details that can be provided at this stage.”

However, a statement from the authority said a new gaming division would require “compliance with all applicable laws and regulations (including financial crime laws) from operators, suppliers and employees”. It also would “ensure responsible gaming at all levels”. Gaming is often used as a euphemism for gambling in the United States.

Michael Weaver, a spokesman for Wynn Resorts Ltd., referred questions back to regulators in Ras al-Khaimah. However, all of Wynn Resorts’ locations in Las Vegas, Macau and Massachusetts feature resorts built around their casino floors.

A filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission by Wynn Resorts said it entered an agreement with Ras al-Khaimah for “the development and subsequent management of an integrated resort”. The term “integrated resort”, comes from Singapore and refers to a hotel that includes a casino and other amenities. A statement on the deal, also posted to Wynn Resorts’ website, included repeated mentions of “gaming” facilities at the site.

“The newly announced integrated resort is still in its early design phase and due for completion by 2026,” a follow-up statement from Marjan, the Ras al Khaimah developer involved in the deal, said. “These are all the details that can be provided at this stage.”

************************************************************************

Readers

These are extraordinary times. All of us have to rely on high-impact, trustworthy journalism. And this is especially true of the Indian Diaspora. Members of the Indian community overseas cannot be fed with inaccurate news.

Pravasi Samwad is a venture that has no shareholders. It is the result of an impassioned initiative of a handful of Indian journalists spread around the world.  We have taken the small step forward with the pledge to provide news with accuracy, free from political and commercial influence. Our aim is to keep you, our readers, informed about developments at ‘home’ and across the world that affect you.

Please help us to keep our journalism independent and free.

In these difficult times, to run a news website requires finances. While every contribution, big or small, will makes a difference, we request our readers to put us in touch with advertisers worldwide. It will be a great help.

For more information: pravasisamwad00@gmail.com