After a seven-month wait, the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) of the UAE has confirmed its new leader.
The regulator posted on LinkedIn that the former Crown Resorts and Wynn Macau executive Ciarán Carruthers will take the reins in the UAE as Chief Executive Officer, replacing Kevin Mullally, who left in November 2025 to return to the US.
The GCGRA hailed Carruthers’ nearly 40 years of experience in the gaming and hospitality industry, having previously served as the CEO of Crown Resorts and Chief Operating Officer of Wynn Macau, among other roles.
On the appointment, GCGRA Chair Jim Murren said: “Ciarán brings exactly the calibre of leadership this role demands. 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.”
The GCGRA was introduced in September 2023 to develop the UAE’s gaming market, and the first gaming licence was awarded to The Game LLC, authorising it to operate the UAE Lottery.
So far, the GCGRA lists 26 operators on its register of licensees. Most recently, Play971, operated by Coin Technology Projects LLC, was named as the first licensed sportsbook and iGaming platform in the UAE.
First on the agenda for Carruthers will be steering the UAE through the challenges presented by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has seen the country being targeted by drone strikes from Iran.
However, he is no stranger to navigating a turbulent climate for tourism, having helped navigate Wynn Macau out of the COVID-19 pandemic smoothly and back into a period of stability.
Last month, Wynn Resorts, which is part of the consortium developing the UAE’s first-ever casino resort, told investors that it expects a ‘modest delay in our opening timeline’ as a result of the geopolitical tensions, as it is forced to address ‘logistical and shipping challenges in the region’.
Despite this, Wynn’s CEO, Craig Billings, remained bullish on the prospects of the multi-billion-dollar project, in which Wynn holds a 40% stake, and the wider ability of the UAE to bounce back as a leading tourist destination.
Speaking on Wynn’s first-quarter earnings call, he said: “This is a country that has navigated multiple regional conflicts over the past two decades and has consistently come out stronger. They’ve done that by investing in infrastructure, diversifying their economy, and positioning themselves as a neutral hub for commerce and tourism.”