The head of MGM Resorts International has admitted he is surprised that Dubai has yet to clarify whether its long-awaited beachfront resort will be allowed to host a casino, despite steady construction progress on the $2.5bn project.
Bill Hornbuckle, the company’s CEO and president, said the firm remains committed to its plans but acknowledged the absence of a clear green light from the emirate’s leadership.
A resort waiting on approval
The luxury development is taking shape on a 10-hectare artificial island near Jumeirah Beach and the Burj Al Arab. It is set to feature three of MGM’s best-known hotel brands alongside a casino, if permitted.
Hornbuckle told a recent gaming industry conference: “I thought by now, Abu Dhabi would have ruled on what they were doing. There’s a lot of dialogue around that.” (AGBI, 9 September 2025).
While the United Arab Emirates has created the federal General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority to oversee gambling regulation, the ultimate decision lies with individual emirates, explained AGBI. In Dubai’s case, Hornbuckle confirmed that the project partners, MGM and state-owned developer Wasl, are still waiting on the emirate’s ruler.
“MGM and its joint venture partner, government-owned developer Wasl, were ‘waiting for the ruler [of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed] to say, “Go ahead”’,” he said. (AGBI).
He added that while the podium structure was ready, no formal permission had yet been granted. “We don’t have permission yet from the ruler of Dubai to go forward. I don’t know when we’ll hear, but I do believe this … If this gets a casino, and I believe it will over time, we think it’s a massive opportunity.”
Opening pushed back
Even without gaming approval, the resort is already running behind its original schedule. MGM had first targeted 2027 for completion, but the launch has since been pushed into the second half of 2028.
The company confirmed the revised date during its second-quarter earnings call on 1 August, citing both the complexity of the build and the scale of the operation. “Progress in Dubai has also started to gather steam with an expected opening date of the second half of 2028,” Hornbuckle said during the company’s earnings call on 1 August 2025.
Back in May, he had told investors that the MGM tower in Dubai was “in full swing” and had reached the fifth floor of construction. “It’s an exciting project, a truly interesting resort with all kinds of features. Hopefully, we’ll get to add gaming,” he said at the time.
Although the core structure is still expected to be finished in 2027, MGM now intends to open fully the following year.
Regional shift
Dubai is not the only emirate weighing the introduction of casinos. Wynn Resorts, MGM’s Las Vegas rival, is developing the Wynn Al Marjan Island resort in Ras Al Khaimah, which is slated to open in 2027. Wynn CEO Craig Billings has already suggested it could be the first and only licensed casino in the UAE, a position that would give it a monopoly in a market analysts believe could generate between $5bn and $8bn annually.
Wynn has also purchased an additional 70 acres in the emirate, fuelling speculation about possible expansion.
The UAE’s gradual shift toward regulated gaming has been closely watched by international operators. At the SiGMA Euro-Med conference this summer, panellists underlined that the federal regulator, the GCGRA, had already issued around 16 licences, mostly to B2B suppliers and for the UAE Lottery. Kate McCormick, CEO of WH Partners UAE, said entrants could expect “a premium, tightly regulated, credible” environment. She cautioned that marketing restrictions would be strict, requiring careful compliance from foreign companies.
Oliver De Bono, CEO of Quantum Gaming, added that the UAE’s position was likely to influence the wider region. “I definitely believe that the UAE is leading what the rest of the GCC states do,” he said during the panel.
Balancing luxury and uncertainty
For MGM, the resort was always conceived under a non-gaming management agreement with Wasl Hospitality, ensuring its viability as a luxury destination regardless of licensing outcomes. But the prospect of securing a casino licence remains a major prize, one Hornbuckle clearly believes is achievable, even if delayed.
“We think it’s a massive opportunity,” he reiterated. (AGBI).
Whether Dubai’s leadership agrees, and when it may decide, is still an open question. For now, construction continues, timelines are extended, and MGM’s hopes rest on a market still finding its way through cultural sensitivities, regulatory frameworks and global industry pressures.
