Dubai mega-resort axes casino plans amid UAE gambling ambiguity

Adam Lucente

Feb 16, 2024

This picture taken with a fish-eye lens on May 9, 2021 shows a view of the Dubai city skyline as seen from the Burj Khalifa, currently the world's tallest building at 828 meters. — This picture taken with a fish-eye lens on May 9, 2021, shows a view of the Dubai city skyline as seen from the Burj Khalifa. — GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images

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Hospitality giant MGM Resorts International confirmed this week that it will not have a casino in its upcoming Dubai property in a setback for those hoping to see gambling come to the United Arab Emirates.

MGM President and CEO Bill Hornbuckle said during a Tuesday earnings call that the company’s $2.5 billion development in Dubai will not feature a casino.

“Obviously, we have Dubai. We have our project there, which is an amazing project. It's going to be over a $2.5 billion project without a casino in it,” he said.

Hornbuckle was referencing the Island, a major development being built in the Dubai coastal area of Jumeirah. The luxury beachfront development will feature hotel rooms, apartments and entertainment when complete. Three popular Las Vegas hotels — MGM, Bellagio and Aria — will feature there, according to the project’s website. The Island has been dubbed Dubai’s Las Vegas by Gulf media outlets.