Scientific Games Obtains UAE's Latest Vendor License in Scientific Field
Scientific Games Enters the UAE's Growing Gaming Market
Scientific Games, a leading global provider of gaming products and services, has secured a license to operate in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This move marks a significant step in the company's global expansion and its commitment to expanding its footprint in strategic regions.
The UAE's gaming market is currently undergoing rapid growth and regulatory development. With a market size valued at approximately USD 484.1 million in 2023 and projected to reach around USD 754.2 million by 2030, the market presents an attractive opportunity for international gaming suppliers like Scientific Games.
The UAE's General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), established in 2023, has been instrumental in regulating commercial gaming activities and attracting global gaming vendors. Scientific Games is now one of the latest additions to this growing list, which includes companies like Pollard Banknote, Aristocrat, Novomatic, Brightstar, Light & Wonder, and Konami Gaming.
Michael Conforti, President of Scientific Games' International Business, expressed his excitement about the company's entry into the UAE. He is eager to leverage Scientific Games' extensive experience to supply unique products to local lotteries in the UAE. Conforti believes that their more than 50 years of expertise will enable them to offer high-performing products that will responsibly help drive revenue for lottery programs supporting local communities and projects of national importance.
The UAE's gaming market is not just limited to traditional casinos. The broader gaming and hospitality sectors are also developing rapidly, with ambitions for the market to become a major international hub, sometimes referred to as the "Middle Eastern Las Vegas." Major hospitality investments such as Hard Rock International's hotel and residences project in Ras Al Khaimah and the forthcoming Wynn Al Marjan Island casino resort, expected to open in 2027, underscore this ambition.
Regionally, the MENA gaming market, which includes the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, is estimated to exceed $2.2 billion in revenue by the end of 2025. The UAE is projected to contribute about 33.7% of that revenue and exhibit the highest average revenue per user (ARPU) at $84.6 among these markets. Mobile gaming dominates player spending, although console and PC game revenues are also significant.
As Scientific Games enters the UAE, they will have the opportunity to contribute to the shaping of a nascent market. The company is poised to make a significant impact in this promising new market, further cementing its position as a leading global provider of gaming products and services.
Scientific Games, in its expansion, introduces technology-driven gaming solutions to the UAE's growing market, aiming to offer unique products and help drive revenue for local communities and projects of national importance. The UAE's gaming market, aspirant of becoming the "Middle Eastern Las Vegas," also encompasses technology advancements, providing Scientific Games with opportunities to contribute to the shaping of this promising and technologically dynamic market.
