Residents of the United Arab Emirates will be able to legally bet on football’s World Cup for the very first time in the coming weeks, with the country’s only licensed sports betting operator launching a social media campaign ahead of the sporting world’s biggest event.
Arabian Gulf Business Insights (AGBI) reported on the initiative by Play971 – the platform operated by Coin Technology Projects LLC. A subsidiary of Momentum, Coin is the only operator to hold an Internet Gaming License and the only one to hold a Sports Wagering License as issued by the UAE’s regulator – the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA).
According to AGBI, Play971’s post states, “Football fever is about to take over the world. For the first time ever, UAE-based football fans can safely place wagers on international football matches through a licensed platform built for and based in the UAE. It’s a landmark moment for sports entertainment in the country and an exciting new way for fans to get closer to the action.”
The media outlet also notes, however, that legislation legalizing commercial gambling in the Emirates has not yet been made public, even though the relevant law – decree no. 30 of 2022 – is mentioned by the GCGRA.
AGBI had late last year reported on the launch by Momentum of two online betting platforms, “TrueWin” and “Dream Island,” offering wagers on sports such as football, tennis, cricket and basketball plus live dealer games, poker, roulette and slots.
A report by Vixio Gambling Compliance last October claimed that the GCGRA may allow one B2C online gaming license per emirate for each of the country’s seven Emirates, mirroring the model said to be in place for land-based casino gaming.
To date, only one license across each operator license category has been issued, including a Land-Based Gaming Facilities License to Wynn Resorts for its US$5.1 billion Wynn Al Marjan Island development in Ras Al Khaimah, and a Lottery License to The Game LLC as operator of the UAE Lottery.
The World Cup kicks off this Friday 12 June, hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
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