The United Arab Emirates has quietly taken another structural step in reshaping its approach to gambling regulation by removing all references to gambling and betting from its new civil code. While subtle in form, the change carries significant implications for how gaming-related activity will be governed going forward, reinforcing the UAE’s shift toward a standalone, licence-based commercial gaming regime rather than reliance on traditional civil-law provisions.

Gambling provisions removed from civil legislation

Under the new Civil Transactions Law, issued as Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025, the UAE’s civil code will no longer include a specific chapter addressing gambling and betting. The revised law is scheduled to take effect on 1 June 2026, at which point it will formally replace the existing civil code.

The current legislation, Federal Law No. 5 of 1985, contains Articles 1012 to 1021, which explicitly govern gambling-related matters such as the enforceability of betting contracts and the recovery of gambling losses. In the new civil law, this entire section has been removed and has not been relocated or rewritten elsewhere in the code.

Legal reviews of the updated framework confirm that gambling and betting are no longer addressed within the UAE’s general civil-law system.

Separation of civil law and gaming regulation

The removal does not indicate a liberalisation of gambling policy. Instead, legal analysts view it as a deliberate effort to separate general civil legislation from sector-specific regulation, particularly as the UAE prepares to operationalise its commercial gaming framework.

Rather than allowing gambling disputes or obligations to be interpreted through broad civil-law principles, the UAE is increasingly positioning gaming as a regulated economic activity governed through licences, compliance requirements and enforcement mechanisms tailored specifically to the sector.

This responsibility now sits squarely with the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), the federal body established to regulate, license and supervise all forms of commercial gaming in the country.

Regulatory groundwork continues to take shape

The timing of the civil-law update aligns with broader regulatory developments. In December 2025, the GCGRA issued its first gaming-related licence, approving Play971 as the UAE’s first licensed internet gaming and sports wagering platform.

By cleaning legacy legislation ahead of wider market implementation, the UAE appears to be ensuring that future disputes, compliance issues and enforcement actions relating to gambling fall within a single, coherent regulatory system rather than being split between civil courts and sector regulators.

Analysts expect further legislative alignment over time, potentially involving criminal, cybercrime or financial regulations, to ensure consistency with the GCGRA’s licensing and compliance framework.

Implications for operators and investors

From June 2026 onward, civil courts in the UAE will no longer rely on a dedicated civil-law chapter when handling gambling or betting-related matters. Instead, such issues are expected to be addressed within the scope of gaming regulations, licence conditions and regulatory oversight.

For operators and investors monitoring the UAE’s emerging gaming market, the move offers greater structural clarity. By clearly separating civil law from gaming regulation, the UAE is signalling a tightly controlled, rules-based approach that prioritises regulatory certainty over informal or fragmented treatment of gambling activity.

Sources: SiGMA, Gambling Talk, TRIX20