Malaysia’s RGB International gains UAE gaming vendor licence
Gaming equipment supplier RGB International Bhd has been granted a gaming-related vendor licence by the United Arab Emirates’ General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), enabling it to operate as an approved supplier of gaming machines and related services in the country.
The licence was granted by the UAE’s General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), according to comments made by RGB executive director Ganaser Kaliappen during the company’s earnings briefing on Wednesday, as reported by The Edge Malaysia.
“This effectively enables us to operate as an approved vendor for the supply of machines, as well as related services and maintenance in the region,” Kaliappen said.
According to The Edge Malaysia, RGB submitted its application around a year ago and recently received approval from the UAE authorities. The company has also paid processing fees of approximately RM10,000 (US$2,490.35) ahead of the formal issuance of the licence.
With the licence, RGB becomes one of the companies authorised by the GCGRA to provide gaming-related products and services in the UAE. The regulator, established in September 2023, oversees all commercial gaming activities in the country.
Positioning for Wynn Al Marjan Island
The development comes as the UAE prepares for the opening of its first integrated resort casino project, the Wynn Al Marjan Island resort in Ras Al Khaimah.
Currently, Wynn Resorts is the only casino operator to have received a commercial gaming licence in the UAE. The US-based company is developing the US$5.1 billion resort alongside local partners and holds a 40 per cent equity stake in the project.
Kaliappen said RGB’s newly acquired licence provides an opportunity to establish relationships within the emerging market before gaming operations begin.
“While operations are still some time away, it puts us in a good position to build relationships and explore future business opportunities, whether in machines, services or related offerings,” he said.
In April, Wynn Resorts said the conflict in the Middle East was expected to cause a “modest delay” to the opening of the property, which had been scheduled to launch in spring 2027.
UAE vendor list continues to grow
The GCGRA has issued a growing number of gaming-related vendor licences since awarding the first such licence in October 2024. Earlier last week, gaming technology company IGT and gaming table manufacturer Cammegh Limited were added to the GCGRA’s list of gaming-related vendor licensees. Cammegh said the approval enables it to provide products and services in the UAE.
The addition of Cammegh and the restructured IGT reflected the continuing development of the UAE’s regulated gaming supply chain. Other approved suppliers include major industry names such as Aristocrat, Light & Wonder, Novomatic, Konami and Scientific Games.
According to the GCGRA’s latest published list, 22 companies have now received gaming-related vendor licences.
Machine sales outlook supported by regional demand
RGB said demand for gaming equipment remains strong across several Asian markets despite geopolitical challenges affecting parts of the region.
Chief Operating Officer for leisure Chuah Eng Meng said the company had secured approximately 2,000 machine orders so far this year, including 500 units sold during the first quarter. RGB is targeting sales of around 3,000 machines in 2026 after delivering 1,924 electronic gaming machines in 2025, below its own target.
Chuah said sales could potentially reach between 3,500 and 3,800 machines if geopolitical tensions ease. “We are seeing demand from the Philippines and are also in discussions with Vietnam,” he said.
He added: “We are also seeing demand from Cambodia, where casinos are looking to lease machines from us, although we are not looking to open new outlets at this point.”
According to Chuah, around 8 per cent to 12 per cent of installed gaming machines are typically replaced each year across the industry. The Philippines remains the largest replacement market in the region, with approximately 24,000 installed machines and an estimated 1,440 annual replacements. Malaysia has around 8,000 machines, generating demand for roughly 480 replacements each year, while Cambodia’s installed base of about 6,000 machines creates replacement demand for around 360 units annually.
First-quarter results reflect mixed performance
The UAE licence announcement follows RGB’s first-quarter financial results released last week. The company reported profit attributable to owners of MYR9.1 million (US$2.3 million) for the three months ended 31 March 2026, down 26.8 per cent year-on-year. Revenue increased 18.8 per cent to nearly MYR87.4 million.
Cost of sales rose 32.5 per cent to MYR67.2 million during the quarter, while earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation declined 16.2 per cent year-on-year to MYR12.5 million.
RGB declared a first interim single-tier dividend of MYR0.002 per share for the financial year ending 31 December 2026, payable on 16 July. The company’s sales and marketing division remained its largest contributor, generating revenue of almost MYR70.3 million, up 39.1 per cent year-on-year. EBITDA from the segment increased 27.6 per cent to MYR8.2 million, while pre-tax profit rose 25.1 per cent to nearly MYR8.6 million. RGB attributed the growth to higher product sales volumes and changes in product mix.
Revenue from the technical support and management segment fell 27.6 per cent to MYR16.4 million, while pre-tax profit declined 49.3 per cent to MYR3.6 million. RGB said the downturn was primarily linked to weaker performance at several key outlets and the continued closure of certain operations in Cambodia’s Poipet region amid ongoing tensions along the Cambodia-Thailand border.
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