UAE names new GCGRA chief as Play971 goes live
Table of contents
- GCGRA names former Crown CEO Ciarán Carruthers as chief executive, effective 9 June 2026.
- Play971 expands as the UAE’s first licensed internet gaming and sports wagering platform ahead of the FIFA World Cup.
- Access remains blocked in Dubai, with availability determined at emirate level.
The UAE’s gaming sector has moved forward on two fronts this month, with a new chief executive named at the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) and the country’s first licensed online sportsbook expanding access ahead of the FIFA World Cup.
Ciarán Carruthers has been appointed CEO of the GCGRA, the Abu Dhabi-based federal regulator, with effect from 9 June 2026. He joins from Crown Resorts in Australia, where he served as chief executive until the end of 2024, and brings close to four decades of experience across gaming and hospitality.
Carruthers takes the helm
Carruthers has held senior roles at Wynn Macau, Sands China and Galaxy Casino. At Crown, he led a compliance overhaul in the aftermath of the Bergin Inquiry, which exposed governance failures at the group. He was credited with helping restore Crown’s licensing suitability across Australian states and overseeing Crown Sydney’s progression to an unrestricted operating licence.
He takes over from Kevin Mullally, who stepped down in November 2025, with Jim Murren, GCGRA chairman and former MGM Resorts chief executive, serving as interim CEO in the intervening period.
In a statement accompanying the appointment, Murren said:
“Ciarán brings exactly the calibre of leadership this role demands. His track record of building trust with governments, regulators, and industry partners across multiple jurisdictions is exceptional. The future of gaming regulation in the UAE is in exceptional hands.”
Carruthers said:
“I am honoured to join GCGRA and contribute to the continued development of the UAE’s regulatory framework for commercial gaming. The UAE is establishing itself as a global benchmark for modern and responsible gaming regulation, and I look forward to working closely with the team, licensees, and government partners to deliver on that ambition.”
Play971 opens to bettors
The appointment arrives as Play971, the UAE’s first licensed internet gaming and sports wagering platform, has broadened public access across several emirates.
The platform, which received its licences from the GCGRA in November 2025, has completed a monitored rollout phase and opened up to more players ahead of the FIFA World Cup. It is operated by Coin Technology Projects LLC, a subsidiary of the Momentum group.
The platform offers wagering on football, basketball, cricket, tennis, horse racing and baseball, alongside casino games and live dealer titles streamed from a GCGRA-licensed studio in Abu Dhabi. Users must be aged 21 or over, physically present within the UAE and registered with an Emirates ID to play.
Access remains geoblocked in Dubai. Play971’s website states:
“Play971 is accessible within the UAE only, except Dubai.”
A company spokesperson confirmed to Khaleej Times that availability is determined at the emirate level and that any further expansion is subject to local frameworks and regulatory approvals. Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah have all been confirmed as accessible.
Momentum also operates the UAE Lottery through its The Game subsidiary, which had been the only regulated gambling product in the country prior to Play971’s arrival.
Regulatory picture
The GCGRA, established in September 2023, oversees commercial gaming across all seven emirates. Multiple industry sources report that the regulator intends to permit one online licence per emirate, mirroring its approach to land-based gaming, though the authority has not formally confirmed that model publicly to date.
The live licensee register on the GCGRA’s website lists Coin Technology Projects LLC as the sole holder of both internet gaming and sports wagering licences, alongside a single land-based gaming licence awarded to Wynn Al Marjan and one lottery licence held by The Game LLC.
A further 23 gaming-related vendor licences have been issued across suppliers, technology providers and data firms.
On 1 June 2026, Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025 came into force, removing the gambling and betting provisions from the UAE’s Civil Transactions Law. Some legal analysts have described the change as replacing a decades-old civil-code prohibition with a regulator-led licensing framework, though its full implications remain subject to specialist legal interpretation.
Wynn Resorts continues to develop its Al Marjan Island integrated resort in Ras Al Khaimah, which will include a physical casino. The project has faced reported delays amid wider regional tensions but remains a central pillar of the UAE’s longer-term gaming strategy.
Carruthers’ appointment brings compliance-focused leadership to a regulator entering a more active licensing phase. His background in navigating AML and responsible gambling reform positions the GCGRA to accelerate B2B infrastructure development and licensee onboarding across the market.
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