Play971, the first licensed sports betting operator, has launched in the UAE
The Play971 gambling platform, which has been licensed by the UAE’s General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), has opened up access to soccer betting for users in the country. This marks the first launch of a legal online sportsbook in the Emirates.
This has been reported by Telegram channels.
It is known that Play971 is operated by Coin Technology Projects LLC, a subsidiary of the Momentum Group—the owner of The UAE Lottery. The site launched back in late 2025 as the country’s first licensed online gambling operator and has now expanded into sports betting.
Users aged 21 and older can now place bets on international soccer tournaments, including matches from the FIFA World Cup. In addition to sports betting, the platform offers casino games and live blackjack, which is streamed from a licensed studio in Abu Dhabi.
Prior to the launch of Play971, the only legal product in the UAE’s gambling sector was the state-run UAE Lottery. The launch of the platform marks another step in the development of the country’s regulated gambling market.
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