The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has established the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), a federal gaming body responsible for creating a regulatory framework for national lottery and commercial gaming nationwide. The GCGRA aims to ensure a socially responsible and well-regulated gaming environment while adhering to strict guidelines and international standards. It will coordinate regulatory activities, manage national licensing, and promote responsible economic growth in the gaming industry.
Establishing a federal gaming authority aligns with the UAE's goals of diversifying its economy, attracting foreign investment, and maintaining its reputation as a tourism hotspot. It also aims to differentiate the UAE from neighboring countries and capture tourism opportunities, given its accessibility and the absence of a major gambling destination in the region.
In the UAE, the National Media Council (NMC) is responsible for monitoring the content of materials published in the country, including electronic games. Digital or online media content, like traditional media content, is the subject of extensive regulation in the UAE. The regulations are actively enforced by the authorities and also apply to businesses in free zones.
Below is list of Gaming activity that permits a wide range of business activities related to gaming
Includes firms involved in multiple aspects of the gaming industry, including game development, content production, technology, distribution, and publishing.
Includes firms providing services to assist all of the needs of companies involved in the gaming industry including audio development, audio localization, casting and talent management services, tool development, co-development, remastering, sound design and music, voice recording and video facial capture, asset integration, pre-production and script adaptation, postproduction, mastering and mixing, functional testing services, hardware certification testing, user experience testing, quality assessment.
Includes firms engaged in developing and offering support services to enable free or paid online gaming played through the internet, computer network or E-gaming devices, downloadable from app stores, or through CD’s, these firms are not allowed to operate or conduct electronic applications, such as gambling apps that contravene the prevailing legislations in UAE, as well as the shameless apps.
Includes firms that create and develop video, mobile and PC digital games, including creating, designing and developing software for all aspects of video and mobile games and implementing the creative content to ensure compatibility with video and mobile display.
Includes live streaming digital platforms through which gaming videos and E-sports competitions are streamed, and offering a gaming social media platform in which the gaming community can interact
Includes firms providing localization services, including language translation and general cultural accuracy in respect of gaming content, advertising, marketing, and branding materials for the gaming industry.
Includes firms providing market research and studies for games industry trends, such as, surveys, questionnaires, technical studies relating to the gaming industry including, but not limited to analyzing market trends, marketability of games, public opinions and consumer habits and behavior, game genre popularity, game publishers’ activities, gaming audience trends.
Includes firms providing strategic, management and marketing, public relations, branding consultancy services and expert advice to the gaming industry.
Includes firms offering gaming community management solutions for the gaming industry including social media and games forum monitoring, moderation and content approval, social media and forum content creation and community and social media performance reports.
For company formation in Dubai, advise for the right licence and activity talk to us at Business Business setup