Online sports gaming takes root in the UAE after successful Fifa World Cup
Sports gaming is one of the oldest methods through which fans engage with a match, a team or their favourite players. But it was only last year that authorised sports gaming was allowed in the UAE, allowing sports enthusiasts to partake in its vagaries. The UAE’s General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) gave the green light for Play971 to operate; it is the first and only licensed…
The UAE has embraced online sports gaming following the successful FIFA World Cup, with the country's General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) recently approving authorized sports gaming. Play971, the first and only licensed online gaming platform in the UAE, launched ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which saw record interest from the region due to the high number of Arab teams qualifying for the tournament in North America.
Philippa Bowland, commercial director for iGaming at Play971, attributed the platform's growth during the World Cup to the event's popularity, noting that fan activity on the platform surged and reached unprecedented levels. Morocco, which advanced to the quarter-finals, generated significant interest due to its underdog status, attracting the largest increase in player engagement and odds improvement.
Kylian Mbappe emerged as the most-backed goalscorer overall. The popularity of the World Cup continued after its conclusion, with major European leagues and cricket tournaments attracting fan engagement. The UAE, with its large South Asian population, presents a significant opportunity for sports gaming, with cricket being a particularly promising market.
Play971 has appointed former Australian fast bowler Brett Lee as its brand ambassador, signaling the company's commitment to the region. The platform prioritizes player protection, implementing measures such as age and identity verification, deposit limits, and timeouts, and ensuring fair, secure, and transparent operations.
Written by urgent.news from The National UAE's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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