Comment on Aristocrat receives first gaming vendor approval in UAE

Australian gambling supplier Aristocrat has been confirmed as the recipient of the inaugural vendor license from the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) in the United Arab Emirates. The license award means Aristocrat will be permitted to provide its land-based electronic games machines (EGMs) and online gaming products to approved commercial operators in the Gulf state.  A press release disclosed the full details of the arrangements, in what is the latest move by the  General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) to regulate and safeguard commercial gaming in the UAE.  Hector Fernandez, Aristocrat’s CEO of Gaming said, “We are honored to be the first large, international technology provider to be awarded a gaming-related vendor license to serve the UAE market,” as he envisaged the provision of “premium content for players.”  Earlier this month, Wynn Resorts landed the first commercial gaming operator’s license in the UAE. Background to the GCRA The GCRA was established in 2023 as part of wider liberal legal reforms to diversify the state’s economy and enhance its entertainment offering.