UAE to remove gambling provisions from civil code
The country is shifting gambling oversight to the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority as it develops integrated resorts and licensed gaming operations.
The United Arab Emirates will remove gambling provisions from its civil code on June 1, 2026 when a new Civil Transactions Law introduced by Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025 takes effect.
The legal change forms part of a broader restructuring of how gambling-related activities are governed in the country as the UAE gradually establishes a formal regulatory framework for commercial gaming overseen by the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA).
Under the previous Civil Code, Articles 1012–1021 addressed gambling and betting, including provisions dealing with the enforceability of gambling agreements and disputes arising from wagering activities. These provisions will no longer appear in the updated legislation once the new Civil Transactions Law comes into force. Legal analysts say the removal reflects a shift away from general civil-law oversight towards a specialised regulatory approach for the gaming sector.
Legal experts at Greenberg Traurig said: “The omission of these provisions may be part of the UAE government’s transition to specialised gaming-specific regulations administered by the GCGRA.”
In practice, gambling-related activities such as lotteries, online gaming, sports wagering and land-based casinos are expected to fall under the regulatory framework administered by the GCGRA. The regulator said it is responsible for regulating, licensing and supervising commercial gaming activities in the UAE.
The reform comes as the UAE continues to lay the groundwork for a regulated gaming market, following the launch of the UAE Lottery in November 2024 and the development of the country’s first integrated resort with casino facilities at Wynn Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah, which remains under construction and is scheduled to open in 2027.
