Construction of the first casino in the Persian Gulf: how is the war in Iran affecting it?

Find out how the military conflict in the region is affecting the construction of the first legal casino in the UAE — Wynn Al Marjan Island. We analyze the progress of the project and its prospects.

In recent months, the global gaming industry’s attention has been focused on the grand Wynn Al Marjan Island project—the first legalized casino in the Persian Gulf, currently under construction in the United Arab Emirates. Despite concerns related to military actions in the region, Wynn Resorts CEO Craig Billings reported that construction has been virtually unaffected by the conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran. In this article, we’ll take a detailed look at the construction progress, the project’s financial aspects, its significance for players, and highlight what PPPoker club members need to know. Wynn Al Marjan Island — the first legal gaming resort in the Persian Gulf Wynn Al Marjan Island is a large-scale project set to become the first legalized casino in the history of the Persian Gulf region. The resort is being built on the artificial Al Marjan Island in the UAE and is positioned as the future “Las Vegas of the Middle East.” In addition to the casino, the complex will feature luxury hotels, restaurants, entertainment venues, and a unique yacht marina. The launch of Wynn Al Marjan Island was originally scheduled for the first quarter of 2027, but the official opening has now been moved to September 2027. Nevertheless, Wynn Resorts CEO Craig Billings emphasized that the delay is due to operational factors, not military actions. Impact of the military conflict and additional expenses In February 2024, when the conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran escalated, construction of Wynn Al Marjan Island was temporarily halted. Wynn Resorts publicly stated that it was closely monitoring the situation and assessing potential risks to the project. However, as Craig Billings noted during a panel discussion at the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas, the actual delay lasted only one day. Billings emphasized: “We missed just one day of construction. The Emirates provided an incredible level of security. Life in the UAE goes on as usual.” Nevertheless, even such a brief pause led to significant additional expenses. According to Billings, Wynn Resorts allocated another $600 million to the project to cover “conflict-related costs.” These funds went toward increased shipping, logistics, and supply chain expenses. As a result, the total construction cost rose to approximately $5.7 billion. New opportunities: yacht marina and infrastructure Wynn Al Marjan Island is not just aimed at gamblers. In October 2024, new renderings of the yacht marina, which will be part of the resort, were unveiled. According to Super Yacht Times, this will be the country’s first private harbor where superyachts of this class can directly access the resort’s services and amenities. Thus, the project is designed to attract wealthy tourists, yacht owners, and luxury vacation enthusiasts, significantly expanding the resort’s target audience. Industry opinion and Wynn Resorts’ current successes At the G2E panel where Craig Billings spoke, executives from the world’s largest gaming companies were also present: Bill Hornbuckle (MGM International) and Tom Reeg (Caesars Entertainment). They discussed the prospects for gaming business development in new regions and the impact of geopolitical factors on the industry. Meanwhile, Wynn’s flagship resort in Las Vegas continues to operate successfully. It is home to one of the city’s most prestigious poker rooms. In December 2024, Wynn will once again host the WPT World Championship—one of the year’s most anticipated tournaments. The main event will feature a $10,400 buy-in, with an additional $1 million added as a mystery bounty. Table of key data and prize pools Total cost of the Wynn Al Marjan Island project: $5.7 billion Additional conflict-related expenses: $600 million Opening date: September 2027 (previously — first quarter of 2027) Construction delay duration: 1 day Largest tournament at Wynn Las Vegas (December 2024): WPT World Championship, $10,400 buy-in, $1 million mystery bounty added What this means for PPPoker club players For PPPoker club members, this news demonstrates how quickly new legal poker and casino markets are developing, even in regions traditionally closed to gambling. This could mean new opportunities for live tournaments and an expanded geography of poker events in the coming years. The growth of investment in infrastructure and the emergence of luxury resorts with poker rooms create additional incentives for players to improve their skills and be ready to participate in major international series. For PPPoker clubs, it’s also a reason to pay attention to the formats and trends set by industry leaders, in order to implement best practices in their online games and events. Finally, the experience of Wynn Resorts shows that even amid external risks and instability, major projects can be successfully implemented with competent management and government support. For players, this signals that the industry is becoming more stable and reliable, meaning participation in PPPoker clubs and live events will only grow in popularity and bring new experiences.