The gaming regulator for the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), has appointed veteran gaming executive Ciarán Carruthers (pictured) as its chief executive, with effect from Monday. The appointment was announced by the regulator on Tuesday.
Mr Carruthers joins the GCGRA after nearly four decades in the global hospitality and gaming sectors. He most recently served as CEO of Australian casino operator Crown Resorts Ltd, a role he held for a little over two years.
Prior to joining Crown Resorts in 2022, Mr Carruthers held senior leadership positions in the gaming industry. Those included roles at Macau casino concessionaires Wynn Macau Ltd, Sands China Ltd, and Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd.
Mr Carruthers succeeds Kevin Mullally, the GCGRA’s first CEO, who stepped down from the role in November last year.
The GCGRA, established in 2023, is responsible for creating and overseeing the regulatory framework for commercial gaming in the UAE. The regulator has already issued licences covering casino operations, lottery and gaming-related supplier activities, as the federal country develops a regulated gaming sector.
In a statement, GCGRA chairman Jim Murren said Mr Carruthers would bring significant industry experience to the role.
“Ciarán brings exactly the calibre of leadership this role demands,” Mr Murren stated.
“His track record of building trust with governments, regulators, and industry partners across multiple jurisdictions is exceptional. The future of gaming regulation in the UAE is in exceptional hands,” Mr Murren added.
In Tuesday’s statement, the regulator said Mr Carruthers would lead the authority as it continues to develop what it described as a “world-class regulatory environment” for commercial gaming in the UAE.
So far, there is only one licensed casino operator in the UAE. That is casino firm Wynn Resorts Ltd, which is developing with local partners the Wynn Al Marjan Island casino resort in Ras Al Khaimah, one of the emirates.
Wynn Resorts management said in April that it expects the current conflict in the Middle East to lead to a “modest delay” in the opening of the Wynn Al Marjan project.
The US$5.1-billion property – in which Wynn Resorts has a 40-percent equity stake – had been marked for a spring-2027 opening.
Since October 2024, the GCGRA has issued gaming-related vendor licences to more than 20 suppliers, per the regulator’s website.
