Wynn Al Marjan Island: The UAE's First Casino Resort
Wynn Al Marjan Island is set to become the first licensed casino resort in the United Arab Emirates. It is being built on Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah, around an hour north of Dubai, and it is scheduled to open in early 2027. Wynn Resorts holds the first commercial gaming licence ever granted in the country, so this will be the only place in the UAE where casino gambling is legal when the doors open.
This guide explains what the resort will offer, where it sits within UAE gambling law, when it opens, and what it means for anyone who wants a genuine UAE casino resort experience instead of an offshore site.
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Wynn Al Marjan Island is an integrated casino resort under construction on Al Marjan Island, a group of man-made islands in Ras Al Khaimah. It is developed by Wynn Resorts, the operator behind Wynn and Encore in Las Vegas and Macau. When it opens it will be the first resort in the United Arab Emirates with a licensed casino floor, and Wynn is expected to hold that position exclusively for several years.
The resort is designed as a full destination rather than a standalone casino. Alongside the gaming floor it will house more than 1,500 rooms and suites, a wide restaurant lineup, a superyacht marina, and extensive retail and event space. Here are the headline details confirmed so far.
Yes. Wynn Al Marjan Island will be fully legal because Wynn Resorts holds a gaming licence granted by the UAE authorities. This is the first commercial gaming licence ever issued in the country, awarded in 2024 while the resort was still under construction. It makes Wynn the only licensed casino operator in the UAE.
This is a major shift. Until this licence, all casino gambling in the UAE was illegal, and it still is everywhere outside a licensed operator. A resort casino at Wynn will be legal to visit. An offshore website accepting UAE sign-ups is not covered by that licence and remains outside UAE law.
UAE authorities have signalled they do not plan to hand out further casino licences in the near term, so Wynn is expected to enjoy a multi-year monopoly on legal casino gaming in the country. For the full legal background, including the federal regulator and the penalties for unlicensed play, read our UAE gambling laws guide.
Wynn Al Marjan Island is scheduled to open in early 2027. The building topped out in December 2025, meaning the full structure of the tower was completed, and work since then has focused on the interior, the casino floor, and the surrounding resort facilities.
The project has moved through several public milestones on its way to opening:
- 2024: Wynn Resorts secures the first UAE gaming licence.
- February 2025: financing for the resort is completed.
- December 2025: the tower tops out with its structure finished.
- Late 2026: the 548-metre Wynn Bridge connecting the island to the mainland is due for completion.
- Early 2027: planned opening to guests.
Dates on a project of this scale can move, so treat early 2027 as the current target rather than a fixed guarantee.
Wynn Al Marjan Island is built as a full luxury destination, not just a casino. The confirmed lineup gives a clear sense of what visitors can expect when it opens.
Gaming
A main casino floor of around 20,900 square metres sits at the heart of the resort, with a second sky gaming area planned for the 22nd floor. This will be the only licensed casino gaming in the UAE.
Rooms and suites
The resort holds 1,530 rooms and suites across 70 floors, including a private ultra-luxury suite collection called Enclave, positioned near the top of the tower with its own entrance, pool, and beach access.
Dining, marina and retail
Plans include 22 restaurants, among them venues tied to high-profile names, a superyacht marina with berths for large yachts, thousands of square metres of retail space, and a large column-free ballroom for events and conventions.
Until the resort opens, the only way UAE-based players reach casino games is through offshore sites, which sit outside UAE law. If you want to understand that route and its risks first, start with our UAE online casino guide.
Wynn Al Marjan Island is on Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah, one of the seven emirates, around an hour's drive north of Dubai. It is not in Dubai itself, though its location makes it easy to reach from there.
Yes. Wynn Resorts holds the first commercial gaming licence issued in the UAE, granted in 2024, so the casino will operate legally. It will be the only licensed casino in the country when it opens, and all gambling outside a licensed operator remains illegal.
The resort is scheduled to open in early 2027. The tower topped out in December 2025, and interior and casino fit-out has continued since. As with any large project, the date could shift.
No. It is in Ras Al Khaimah, a separate emirate to the north of Dubai. It is often linked with Dubai in coverage because of the short drive between them, but the resort and its casino licence sit in Ras Al Khaimah.
Licensed online gambling in the UAE is limited to operators approved by the federal regulator. Offshore casino sites still accept UAE sign-ups, but they sit outside UAE law and carry legal and financial risk. See our UAE gambling laws guide for the full position.
