Momentum, the operator behind the UAE’s only licensed lottery, has begun running two online gambling platforms that offer extensive casino and sports betting options. The sites, named TrueWin and Dream Island, are active despite the absence of any published legislation authorizing online gambling in the Emirates. Both platforms provide a full suite of casino games and wagering markets, positioning Momentum at the center of a rapidly developing and highly scrutinized area of the country’s digital entertainment sector.

Platforms Go Live Amid Regulatory Uncertainty

TrueWin and Dream Island feature live dealer content, roulette, poker, slots, and multiple sports betting categories covering football, tennis, basketball, cricket, and other international events. Their operational status places them in a regulatory grey zone. Although Momentum is the only entity permitted to offer gaming legally through the UAE Lottery, the two new sites do not display licensing details from the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority, the regulatory body established in September 2023.

Domain records show that TrueWin.ae was registered in March 2023, several months before the regulator was formed. Dream Island’s domain predates it further, having been registered in 2020. These timelines indicate that both platforms were prepared well in advance of any formal introduction of online gaming oversight, and before the regulatory environment had fully taken shape.

Momentum’s intentions to expand into online casino and sportsbook operations surfaced publicly earlier this year when the company advertised for a commercial director for an upcoming digital gaming brand. This signaled that a broader product launch was underway well before the platforms went live.

Broader Gaming Developments in the UAE

The growth of these platforms coincides with a period of significant anticipation surrounding the potential legalization of gambling in the UAE. No federal law has been published to authorize such offerings, yet industry analysts suggest that the country may be approaching a landmark shift. As reported by Arabian Gulf Business Insight (AGBI), regulated gambling could generate revenue equivalent to roughly 1.3 percent of national GDP—estimated at approximately US$6.6 billion—surpassing markets such as Singapore.

The UAE has already approved a major integrated resort project in Ras Al Khaimah, where Wynn Resorts is developing a multibillion-dollar complex expected to feature the country’s first land-based casino. Alongside this, the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority has issued multiple supplier licenses to companies including Aristocrat, Light & Wonder, IGT, Konami, and Sportradar. A separate operator, Coin Technology Projects LLC, also appears on the regulator’s listings, offering online gaming via a platform called Play 971. Information circulating within the industry links this operator to Momentum as well.

Reports from Vixio GamblingCompliance indicate that the regulator may eventually authorize one B2C online gaming license for each of the seven emirates, potentially matching a model also considered for land-based casino activity. Such a framework would position the country for a structured and multi-regional regulatory system if gambling laws are finalized.

Interest in the regulatory direction intensified earlier this month when Kevin Mullally stepped down from the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority after joining it in 2023. The leadership change arrives during an important period in which Momentum’s newly launched offerings, supplier licensing activity, and ongoing construction of the Wynn Resorts project all point to a sector in transition.