Wynn Resorts will open a poker room at its upcoming property in the Middle East. The company is currently building a casino on Al Marjan Island in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Ryan Beauregard, the property’s vice president of poker operations and sporting events, announced plans to bring the game to the property on Friday. Management is currently hiring a cardroom manager.
“Wynn Poker is coming to Al Marjan Island,” he wrote on X/Twitter. “First, we build the environment, and now we build the team. We are driven by a passion for the game, and the desire to create exceptional experiences for each of our guests.”
The post also included a link to a job opening for a cardroom manager.
“If you are a proven leader and share our DNA, the opportunity to join Wynn Al Marjan Island has arrived. Work with the best, be the best.”
Limited Middle East Poker Options
Wynn expects to open the $3.9 billion integrated luxury resort in spring 2027. It is located about 50 miles from Dubai International Airport and should cater to wealthy gamblers.
Along with the casino, the new resort in the UAE will also include high-end dining and shopping, a spa and pool center, an events center, a beach club, a hotel, deep water marina, and more.
Wynn hasn’t released exact details on the poker room. The company also offers poker at Wynn Palace Cotai in Macau.
The UAE formed its General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority in 2023. It began granting the country’s first gaming licenses in December.
There are currently just a few countries in the Middle East with legal casinos, including Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, and Lebanon. Casinos in Lebanon and Egypt reportedly are the few that offer poker.
Inside The Numbers
Wynn will pay a blended tax rate of between 10% and 12% of gross gaming revenue.
The company expects gross revenue to range between $390 million and $570 million. Ultra-high net worth guests will contribute up to 37% of that. The property may hold up to 20,000 people in hotels, on-site residencies, and other facilities.
The region isn’t incredibly stable at the moment. Management at Wynn Al Marjan Island and an MGM Resorts project also in the UAE had to make plans to protect employees after Middle Eastern countries were recently targeted by Iran after the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran.
With similar concerns about safety, the World Poker Tour canceled an event in Cyprus, and the World Series of Poker later shelved a circuit stop on the island as well.
