Konami Gaming enters UAE market with new vendor license

Konami Gaming has officially been granted a gaming-related vendor license by the United Arab Emirates’ General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), marking a key milestone as the country moves toward a regulated gaming industry. The license permits Konami to supply its casino gaming machines and management systems to licensed operators in the UAE, making it one of the first major international gaming suppliers to be approved in the region.

The announcement comes as the UAE continues laying the regulatory foundation for what is expected to be a carefully controlled and strictly licensed commercial gaming market. While no operational casinos or official launch dates have been confirmed, vendor licenses such as the one awarded to Konami indicate that the GCGRA is steadily progressing toward opening the sector to regulated partners.

Tom Jingoli, president and COO of Konami Gaming, said the company is proud to be among the earliest approved vendors under the UAE’s emerging framework. He emphasized that the license reflects Konami’s commitment to supporting transparent, secure, and well-regulated gaming environments worldwide.

Konami Gaming, a subsidiary of Japan’s Konami Group Corporation, is based in Las Vegas and is recognized for developing high-quality slot machines, game cabinets, and casino systems utilized in numerous top venues worldwide. The UAE vendor license gives Konami the legal ability to distribute its products to entities that receive operational approval from the GCGRA in the future.

At this stage, the vendor license does not authorize Konami to run a casino, but it does enable the company to be ready once gaming operators are licensed. This early regulatory clearance positions Konami to become a key technology partner as the UAE begins to build its gaming infrastructure.

The UAE has not yet provided a public timeline for when regulated gaming will begin, but the awarding of vendor licenses shows that preparations are underway. As one of the first vendors to gain approval, Konami is now well-positioned to take part in what is expected to be one of the most tightly regulated new gaming markets in the world.