Former head of casino giant MGM Resorts, Jim Murren, takes helm at Dubai gaming authority, state news agency WAM said.
Murren, former chairman and chief executive of MGM Resorts International, was appointed as the chairman of the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority’s (GCGRA) board of directors.
The United Arab Emirates has created a federal authority to potentially run a national lottery and what it describes as “commercial gaming,” likely a sign that it is on the verge of allowing gambling as major casino operators flock to the Gulf Arab nation.
Murren also worked closely with officials in the Emirates in the past.
The biggest single development on the Las Vegas Strip was the USD9.2 billion CityCenter partnership between MGM Resorts International under Murren and Dubai World, which opened in 2009. Its Harmon tower never opened due to construction defects and was dismantled.
The state-run WAM news agency named Kevin Mullally as its CEO. Mullally once served as the executive director of the Missouri Gaming Commission, which oversaw that U.S. state’s riverboat casinos.
Murren said: “I am delighted at the appointment of Kevin Mullally. He brings unparalleled category experience and will be invaluable in creating a fit-for-purpose regulatory framework for the UAE.”
Casinos long have been rumored to be considered as a way to raise money in the UAE and boost its tourism industry, particularly in Dubai, home to the long-haul airline Emirates. Already, duty-free car raffles bombard those flying through Dubai International Airport. MDT/AP
