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After delays related to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the first licensed casino in the United Arab Emirates is now set to open at Wynn Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah in September 2027.
In a quarterly call with investors on 4 August, Wynn Resorts CEO Craig Billings said that construction is “progressing rapidly” on the new resort, and the company expects the project to open its doors to the public in autumn next year.
Billings had announced in May that there would be a “modest delay” in the project, citing “logistical and shipping challenges in the region” after the war broke out following strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran in late February.
In October 2024, US group Wynn, which operates casinos in Las Vegas and Boston as well as in Macau, received the first commercial gaming operator’s licence to be issued by the UAE, where gambling is currently banned.
It is now developing a 1,542-room luxury resort at Wynn Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah, one of the seven emirates that constitute the UAE.
“We are now actively progressing through the interior fit-out of the hotel rooms, with mechanical, electrical, and finishing work, all moving along in sequence,” Billings said.
He added that the Middle East conflict was still affecting the casino’s construction due to global supply chain disruptions and personnel movement.
“These disruptions have impacted both the timing and cost of the project,” Billings said, estimating the additional cost at “approximately $600 million”, about half of which was attributed to the conflict, as well as higher material costs and shipping price increases.
Shares of Wynn Resorts rose 5% in after-hours trading.
Located 80 kilometres north of Dubai International Airport (DXB), Wynn Al Marjan Island is being developed on a 60-hectare island overlooking the Arabian Gulf.
As well as the casino, the resort will feature a 70‑story tower, 22 restaurants, bars and lounges, and a beach club with a private beach.
There will also be a luxury spa with salon and fitness centre, designer boutiques, events facilities, entertainment and nightlife, a kids’ club, multiple pools and a full-service marina.