UAE’s first licensed online betting platform goes live
Weeks after securing regulatory approval, Play971 went live on Monday (15 December) as the UAE’s first authorised online sports wagering and iGaming platform. Licensed by the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), it is now fully operational for eligible users in the UAE. Play971, authorised by the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), is now fully operational and accepting real-money wagers from eligible users in the UAE.
Play971 operates under the authorisation and supervision of the GCGRA, the federal authority regulating all commercial gaming in the country. The platform is managed by Coin Technology Projects LLC, a limited liability company based in Abu Dhabi, with its main office located at Twofour54 Yas Creative Hub.
The website states that it is “located, licensed and regulated in the UAE” and is officially listed by the GCGRA under both the ‘Internet Gaming’ and ‘Sports Wagering’ licence categories. This makes Play971 the first legally approved real-money online gaming and sports betting website available to players inside the UAE.
According to licensing records and the platform’s operational timeline, Play971 was granted its GCGRA licence before going live on 28 November and appears to have operated under a limited or trial rollout in parts of the UAE before becoming fully operational this week.
The licence issued to Coin Technology Projects LLC is the 19th granted by the GCGRA since the regulator was established in September 2023, following earlier approvals for the UAE Lottery operator The Game LLC, Wynn Resorts’ land-based integrated resort in Ras Al Khaimah, and a growing number of gaming-related vendors and suppliers.
Regulated online gaming enters the UAE
The launch of Play971 introduces, for the first time, a regulated framework for internet gaming and sports wagering under UAE law. While the rollout was not accompanied by a formal public announcement, the website is now live and accepting wagers on casino-style games and sporting events.
The platform offers online casino games such as blackjack and roulette alongside sports betting markets covering football, tennis, cricket, horse racing and other international competitions, including major European football leagues.
According to the GCGRA, internet gaming is a form of “commercial gaming that is conducted via the internet, using a computer, a mobile phone or any other digital device with access to websites or apps that offer various games and bets involving chance, skill, or a combination of chance and skill”. The regulator states that this category includes “bingo, casino games, eSports, fantasy games, peer-to-peer games, skill-based games, sports, and more”.
On sports wagering, the GCGRA states, “Wagering is a form of commercial gaming that involves betting on the outcome of sports events or the performance of athletes or teams. Sports bettors can place their bets legally through licensed bookmakers or sportsbooks. Sports betting can be done on various types of sports, such as horse racing, football, basketball, cricket, tennis, and more.”
Access rules and location controls
To use Play971, users must be at least 21 years old and physically inside the UAE. The platform also blocks access in certain “sensitive geographic areas” identified by the GCGRA, regardless of eligibility. The platform bans the use of virtual private networks (VPN) or any tools used to hide or alter a user’s location or identity. It states that winnings will not be paid if these rules are breached and that regulatory action may follow.
Eligibility is limited to UAE residents and visitors, with checks in place to refuse access to individuals from sanctioned, embargoed or high-risk countries. Emirati citizens must also comply with any additional requirements imposed by their home emirate before being permitted to register.
The terms restrict users to a single personal account and bar directors, employees, contractors, specified vendors and their close relatives or household members from opening accounts.
How users are verified
In line with UAE regulatory requirements, Play971 uses Emirates ID for Know Your Customer checks (KYC) and does not accept passports or driving licences. Users must complete electronic KYC by uploading clear images of their Emirates ID before full account functionality is enabled. Where payment cards are used, they must be linked to a bank account in the same name as the gaming account holder, and business accounts are not permitted.
The platform also notes that where joint bank cards are used, winnings paid back to those cards may indirectly disclose gaming activity to other account holders.
Responsible play measures
Play971 states that it is committed to ensuring gaming remains a recreational activity and includes a range of responsible gaming tools. These include deposit limits, time-outs and self-exclusion options, with self-exclusion periods lasting a minimum of six months.
Play971 refers users to external mental health and counselling support, including Takalam, and includes measures to prevent underage play and monitor problematic gaming. Accounts can be suspended at a user’s request, as directed by the GCGRA, or following a breach of eligibility rules or terms. Bets placed before an account suspension are not eligible for refunds. Any winnings may be kept separate during the review process, with withdrawals allowed if the suspension is later overturned, subject to regulatory requirements.
UAE’s evolving gaming framework
The UAE’s steady transition to regulated commercial gaming is reflected in a number of developments, including the introduction of Play971. In 2024, the GCGRA awarded the country’s first lottery licence to The Game LLC, which now operates the UAE Lottery. The lottery is currently in operation and, in its first year, awarded more than Dh147 million in prizes to over 100,000 players.
The regulator has also issued a land-based gaming facility licence to Wynn Resorts for its $5 billion integrated resort on Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah. The project remains on track to open in 2027 and will be the UAE’s first integrated gaming resort.
The GCGRA has also licensed international vendors and suppliers, including sports data and integrity provider Sportradar, as part of the UAE’s regulated gaming and sports wagering framework.
Earlier regulatory planning has shown that the GCGRA is working towards an online gaming framework similar to its land-based casino model. Under this approach, each emirate would be able to issue a single business-to-consumer licence if it chooses to participate, allowing the UAE’s seven emirates to decide individually and reflecting a cautious, closely managed rollout.
The regulator’s role
The GCGRA was established in 2023 as the UAE’s sole federal authority responsible for licensing, regulating and supervising all forms of commercial gaming and national lotteries.
Last month, the authority announced that Kevin Mullally would step down as chief executive, with chairman Jim Murren appointed interim chief executive.
“Kevin has played a significant role in the authority’s early development, helping to establish its core governance and regulatory structure,” Murren said at the time. “We thank him for his contribution and wish him continued success in his future endeavours. The GCGRA remains focused on the next stage of its growth, ensuring regulatory excellence, responsible gaming and continued confidence in the UAE’s approach.”
Under the GCGRA framework, only licensed businesses and individuals are authorised to conduct commercial gaming activities in the UAE. Any gaming activity carried out without a valid licence remains illegal, and penalties apply not only to operators but also to individuals who participate in unlicensed games.
With the national lottery in operation, an integrated resort under development and now the full launch of Play971, the UAE is steadily building a regulated commercial gaming market that prioritises oversight, consumer protection and transparency.
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