Wynn Al Marjan Island: The Future of Gaming and Luxury in the UAE

Wynn Al Marjan Island, set to open in September 2027 in Ras Al Khaimah, is one of the most significant tourism and entertainment developments in the United Arab Emirates. More importantly, it is no longer simply a proposed casino project: Wynn Al Marjan has received a commercial gaming facility licence from the UAE's General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA).

The development therefore represents an important milestone in the evolution of Casinos in UAE. Combining a major luxury resort with a regulated gaming facility, Wynn Al Marjan Island will introduce a new type of integrated resort to the Gulf when it opens.

A Landmark Project for Wynn Resorts and Ras Al Khaimah

Wynn Al Marjan Island is being developed by Wynn Resorts together with Marjan and RAK Hospitality Holding on Al Marjan Island in the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah.

The scale of the development is substantial. The 70-storey resort tower will include 1,530 rooms, suites and villas, while the wider resort will feature luxury restaurants and bars, shopping, entertainment, a five-star spa, swimming pools, private cabanas, meeting and event facilities, a marina and private beachfront.

Construction has already reached an advanced stage. The resort tower topped out in December 2025, with interior work continuing throughout the property as Wynn prepares for the planned September 2027 opening.

The First Licensed Land-Based Gaming Facility in the UAE

The gaming component is what makes Wynn Al Marjan Island particularly important for the UAE.

The General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority lists Island 3 AMI FZ-LLC, doing business as Wynn Al Marjan, as a licensed Land-Based Gaming Facility operator. This distinguishes the project from other luxury resorts in the UAE that may have been discussed in connection with possible future casino gaming but do not currently hold a land-based gaming licence.

Wynn has disclosed plans for approximately 225,000 square feet of gaming area. For comparison, Wynn and Encore Las Vegas currently have approximately 194,000 square feet of casino space, illustrating the considerable scale planned for the Ras Al Khaimah development.

The exact final mix of casino games and gaming facilities should not be assumed before Wynn announces further details. What is already clear, however, is that the gaming operation will form part of the UAE's newly regulated commercial gaming sector and will operate under GCGRA oversight.

More Than a Casino: An Integrated Resort

Although the gaming facility attracts considerable international attention, Wynn Al Marjan Island is designed as much more than a casino.

Wynn is positioning the property as a complete luxury destination combining hospitality, restaurants, entertainment, shopping, wellness, events and beachfront leisure. Current plans include more than 20 restaurants, lounges and bars, a theater, beach club, five-star spa and salon, designer shopping and extensive meeting and event facilities.

The resort will also feature multiple swimming and wading pools, private cabanas and landscaped outdoor areas overlooking the Arabian Gulf.

This integrated approach is important because visitors will not need to be interested in casino gaming to stay at or experience the resort. Gaming will be one component of a much broader tourism and entertainment destination.

A New Beachfront Wynn Resort

Wynn Al Marjan Island will also be notable within Wynn Resorts' own international portfolio. It is the company's first oceanfront integrated resort and combines its established luxury-resort model with a beachfront setting on the Arabian Gulf.

The location gives Wynn an opportunity to create a very different experience from its properties in Las Vegas and Macau. Beachfront leisure, pools, a marina and outdoor entertainment will form an important part of the overall resort experience.

At the same time, the resort's 70-storey tower will become a major landmark on the Ras Al Khaimah skyline.

Wynn Al Marjan Island and Dubai

One point is particularly important for international visitors: Wynn Al Marjan Island is not a casino in Dubai. It is located in the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah.

Nevertheless, Dubai is highly relevant to the project because of its proximity and importance as an international transport and tourism hub. Wynn describes the resort as being around 50 miles from Dubai International Airport.

This could allow visitors to combine a Dubai holiday with a stay in Ras Al Khaimah. It also explains why Wynn Al Marjan frequently appears in discussions surrounding the future of Casinos in Dubai, even though the resort itself is located in another Emirate.

Readers following UAE resort and gaming developments can also use our Dubai Casino Directory to distinguish between confirmed developments, existing resorts and proposed future projects.

When Will Wynn Al Marjan Island Open?

Wynn Resorts announced in August 2026 that Wynn Al Marjan Island is expected to open in September 2027.

This is more specific than the earlier target of simply opening during 2027 and reflects the significant progress already made on construction.

Official casino opening hours have not yet been announced. Claims that the gaming facility will operate 24 hours a day should therefore be treated as speculation until Wynn or the relevant UAE authorities publish confirmed operating details.

Economic and Tourism Impact on Ras Al Khaimah

Wynn Al Marjan Island is expected to play an important role in Ras Al Khaimah's continued development as an international tourism destination.

The project is bringing substantial investment into the Emirate and is expected to support employment as well as hospitality, restaurants, retail, entertainment and other tourism-related sectors.

Its impact could also extend beyond Ras Al Khaimah. International visitors may combine the resort with Dubai and other destinations in the Emirates, potentially adding a new form of tourism to the UAE's already extensive luxury hospitality market.

Wynn Al Marjan and the Future of Casinos in the UAE

Wynn Al Marjan Island does not mean that conventional casinos are now appearing throughout the UAE. Commercial gaming is a regulated activity, and operators require the appropriate GCGRA licence.

At present, Wynn Al Marjan is the key licensed land-based gaming development. Other international resort operators have expressed interest in the UAE market, but potential projects and licence applications should be distinguished from an officially licensed gaming facility.

This makes Wynn particularly significant. Instead of speculating about what a future UAE casino might look like, visitors can now follow the development of a real regulated integrated resort as it moves towards opening.

A New Chapter for Casinos in the Middle East

Wynn Al Marjan Island represents something genuinely new for the Gulf. Countries elsewhere in the wider Arab world have long had established land-based casinos, but the regulated development in Ras Al Khaimah introduces a different model built around a large-scale luxury integrated resort.

For readers following Casinos in Middle East, Wynn Al Marjan Island will therefore be one of the most important developments to watch over the coming year.

Its significance extends beyond the gaming floor. The combination of luxury accommodation, restaurants, entertainment, beach facilities, shopping and regulated gaming could establish a new integrated-resort model for the region.

Wynn Al Marjan Island: What We Know Today

Wynn Al Marjan Island is under construction in Ras Al Khaimah and is scheduled to open in September 2027. It will feature 1,530 rooms, suites and villas, extensive dining and entertainment facilities and approximately 225,000 square feet of gaming area.

Most importantly, its gaming operation is not based on speculation about future legalisation. Wynn Al Marjan is listed by the GCGRA as a licensed Land-Based Gaming Facility operator in the UAE.

That makes the resort a landmark development for Ras Al Khaimah and for the wider Arab Casino Directory: a major international integrated resort combining regulated gaming with the luxury tourism for which the UAE is already known.