IGT and Endorphina Games Officially Arrive in the UAE

It felt like this day would never come, and yet here it is: IGT games and Endorphina slots in the UAE are officially joining the market. On 21 July 2026 the country's first licensed online platform announced content deals with both studios, bringing IGT's PlayDigital catalogue and a curated selection of Endorphina's themed slots to players. If you follow online gaming in the Emirates, this is the kind of headline you remember.

For players and gambling fans, this is a rare moment: the landscape of a whole region is changing in front of us. A whole layer of entertainment culture is becoming available in an official setting, and with real care for the people who will play. We have already written about player protection in the UAE's licensed online casinos, from deposit limits to time-outs and self-exclusion. Everything is being built with you in mind, dear readers and guests, so you can enjoy the games you love in a calm and well-organised environment.

A Wave of Top Providers Is Coming Through Licensing

Behind the scenes, the GCGRA is licensing the studios and technology companies that supply licensed platforms, and the list keeps growing. This is only the beginning. Here is how it looks, step by step.

Already Licensed

• April 2025: Novomatic and EQL Games received vendor licences.
• May 2026: IGT, Endorphina, Cammegh and GeoComply were licensed.
• September 2026: EGT received its vendor licence.

Moving Into the Lobby: IGT and Endorphina

IGT is bringing its PlayDigital catalogue. The titles named so far are Blackjack, Cleopatra and Cats, which IGT presents as examples from its portfolio. IGT calls Cleopatra one of its most beloved omnichannel game themes, a theme players know from casino floors and online lobbies alike. A full game list has not been published yet, so the exact lineup will be clearest in the lobby itself.

Endorphina, a studio from Prague, joins with a curated selection of themed slots. Specific titles were not named, but its wider catalogue includes games such as Hell Hot 100, Satoshi's Secret, Twerk and Chunjie, and the studio releases dozens of new games every year. Its games are licensed by the MGA and ONJN and tested by GLI. An Endorphina representative described the UAE as an exciting market that is still in its early stages.

Next in Line: EGT

EGT, a supplier from Sofia that says it offers its games in more than 100 countries, received its UAE vendor licence in early September 2026. The licence lets it supply games to licensed operators in the country. Partners have not been announced yet, so the first EGT titles are still ahead.

A Warm Welcome Backed by Careful Oversight

The games are only half of the story. What makes this moment special is the way the new gaming zone is being opened: with modern games, careful checks and real attention to the people who will play.

Jennifer Carleton, GCGRA's Chief of Licensing and Investigations, explained in May 2026 how every supplier joins the ranks of GCGRA licensed providers. Applicants go through checks of ownership, source of funds, governance and internal controls, and the regulator wants all suppliers to meet the same consistent standards of integrity. A licence is not a one-time stamp: it is the start of an ongoing relationship, and the regulator keeps supervising the work of every licensee. The authority openly says it welcomes serious, well-prepared applicants.

The regulator's new CEO, Ciarán Carruthers, speaks about players in the same warm spirit. He took the role in June 2026 after almost 40 years in the operator industry, including as CEO of Crown Resorts. Speaking at G2E in Las Vegas in late September 2026, he said that for a new market it is all about building public trust, and that customers should not all be treated as problem gamblers. In his view, a respectful approach is what keeps people in the safe, licensed environment.

On the player side, the rules are built around your comfort and control: licensed platforms offer daily, weekly and monthly deposit limits, a cooling-off option of at least 72 hours, self-exclusion, age verification and access to support. Alongside the modern games joining the lobby, this is how the UAE is opening its gaming zone: with attention to every guest.

What to Expect in the Coming Months

A short outlook based on what is already known. These are expectations, not announcements.

• EGT partnerships. The licence is in place, and the natural next step is the announcement of which platform will carry its games.
• Fuller IGT and Endorphina lineups. So far only examples have been named, so more titles are likely to surface as the catalogues go live.
• More provider licences. They have arrived in waves (April 2025, May 2026, September 2026), and no list of pending applications is public, so new names will appear as licences are announced.
• A wider choice of UAE online casino games as each new studio joins, which is good news for anyone who likes variety in the lobby.
• New market players. In August 2026 Wynn's management said it was modelling two additional competitors in the UAE market, though no names have been announced.

Live Casino Providers Are the Logical Next Wave

If we look at where players spend their time, it is logical to expect live casino providers to start receiving UAE licences next. Live dealer games are the heart of the modern casino lobby: in 2025 Evolution, a leading live casino studio, reported net revenue of €2.07 billion, and €1.77 billion of it came from live casino. Table games such as roulette, blackjack and baccarat are already part of the licensed UAE offering, so a live dealer layer would be a natural addition.

So far we have not seen a live dealer studio announced among the UAE-licensed providers, so this is our expectation, not a confirmed plan. When it happens, players will get real dealers, real tables and a studio atmosphere on a licensed platform. Meanwhile, you can explore our live casino section to see what the format looks like.

The land-based side is moving too, and Wynn Al Marjan opening in September 2027 is the next big milestone for the UAE gaming market. We will keep following the licence list and update you as soon as new names appear.