Hotel and casino operator Wynn Resorts will open a casino at the luxury resort it is building in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Chief Executive Craig Scott Billings said, a first for the Gulf Arab region, where gambling has long been off-limits. The casino would mark a watershed moment for the Gulf, a region that has traditionally imposed stricter Islamic rules than other parts of the Middle East. The prospect of a new casino comes against the backdrop of intense competition in the Gulf, with business and tourism hub UAE vying with rapidly-opening Saudi Arabia to become the go-to destination in a region diversifying its oil-dependent economy. Ras Al Khaimah emirate and Wynn announced in January that the resort was licensed for gaming without specifying gambling, sparking ren...
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