The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has sanctioned several groundbreaking projects over the past few years in a relentless bid to diversify its economy.
However, no one would have anticipated their enthusiasm for regulated gambling and certainly not the speed at which they have got the system up and running.
Gambling has traditionally been frowned upon in the Middle East, but that did not stop the UAE from threading uncharted waters in search of a goldmine.
The Game lottery was launched in November 2024, and what followed was the clearest indication that the UAE’s new commercial gaming framework is thriving.
More than half a million players have subsequently registered for The Game. There have also been over 200,000 prize winners, including million-dirham jackpots that have made big headlines.
The successful launch has laid the foundations for regulated online gambling in the Middle East. Other nations are now considering their stance on the practice.
The UAE’s General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) has established a set of rules that keeps things running smoothly.
The lottery could ultimately be the first stepping stone for online casinos in the UAE to boom in the new regulatory landscape. The Game’s director of lottery operations, Bishop Woosley, is overseeing the project.
Woosley has already navigated the tricky waters of launching a lottery from scratch in the United States. His experience in Arkansas will be crucial to the UAE as they embark on an exciting new era.
Taking Pointers from Woosley’s Experience in Arkansas
When the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery launched in 2009, it was met with plenty of backlash. Lawmakers were unsurprisingly cautious about how it would play out.
However, Arkansas went from zero to fully operational in a matter of months, taking advantage of technology provided by reputable third-party suppliers such as Scientific Games.
Arkansas garnered over $7.9 billion in sales and paid out $5bn in prizes. More than $1.5bn was allocated to scholarships for students across the state.
The Arkansas Lottery caught the eye with its attention to detail. It proved that a carefully regulated and responsibly managed system could satisfy public demands and provide social benefits.
Woosley’s success in the US is proof that he is no stranger to getting start-ups fully operational in a matter of months. His expertise will come in handy in the UAE, but he would also be the first to admit that the task at hand will be far from a cakewalk.
The system relied on off-the-shelf solutions, but The Game has built its tech platform internally to become independent. That move will help their cause, considering operators need to be flexible to adapt and succeed in the UAE’s new regulatory framework.
Exceeding Expectations in Record Time
The Game has grown at a pace that has caught many industry professionals by surprise.
After receiving more than half a million registrations in less than a year, the UAE is now ahead of many established gaming jurisdictions that have been selling tickets online for over five years.
Flagship games such as Lucky Day, which offer jackpots worth AED 100 million (around $27.2m), are drawing the attention of gamers on a daily basis.
Digital scratch cards have also proven to be useful, with the platform tapping into a broader appetite for digital entertainment in the Middle East.
The project could not have come at a better time, especially for the UAE’s large expat population, who are familiar with online lotteries and gaming platforms in their homeland.
The Game feels familiar yet refreshingly accessible within a local framework. However, for Emiratis and residents new to the game, the excitement of big winners being announced regularly creates the kind of buzz that Woosley knows is crucial for momentum.
The introduction of third-party content through partnerships with EQL Games is the icing on the cake. It will open the door for hundreds of exciting games from studios around the world.
Economic Benefits Abound for the UAE
The UAE’s decision to regulate gambling is part of a long-term strategy to diversify its economy away from oil and gas and cement its status as a global entertainment hub.
Dubai is already a famous tourism centre, so the plan is to turn the capital city of Abu Dhabi into a globally recognised hub for regulated gaming and digital entertainment.
And the projected numbers are off the charts. Arkansas generated nearly $8bn in lottery sales in 15 years despite boasting a population of just over three million people.
However, the UAE will fancy their chances of smashing that record within a fraction of the time, especially with a population of over 10 million people and millions of annual visitors.