UAE's first licensed casino expected in Sept 2027, Wynn says

Wynn Resorts now expects the United Arab Emirates' first licensed casino to open to the public in September 2027 after delays linked to the Middle East conflict, CEO Craig Billings said Tuesday.

Billings told analysts that construction of the project was progressing and that Wynn was working through the interior fit-out of hotel rooms, including mechanical, electrical and finishing work.

He said global supply chain disruptions and personnel movement were still affecting construction. Billings estimated additional costs at about $600 million, about half of which he attributed to the conflict, with higher material costs and shipping price increases also contributing.

Wynn, a US company with casinos in Las Vegas, Boston and Macau, received the UAE's first commercial gaming operator licence in October 2024. Gambling is currently banned in the UAE.

The company is developing a 1,542-room luxury resort at Wynn Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah, one of the UAE's seven emirates. Wynn Resorts shares rose 5 percent in after-hours trading.