The GCGRA has yet to issue licenses for online casinos or sports betting, but analysts predict 2025 could be the year with searches related to online gambling increasing by approximately 61% in 2024. Operators and suppliers must understand that the UAE is unlike any other gaming market to launch in recent memory, one that must be navigated with great cultural sensitivity. Local values impact regulatory expectations and commercial viability, and compliance is core to successfully embedding and succeeding. Drawing lessons from Islamic Banking, and other regulated industries in the region, this session examines how to operate within a unique context that intertwines modernity with deeply rooted cultural values and offers a window on the licensing models likely to be deployed.