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Melco Resorts & Entertainment has received a 20-year exclusive casino license from the Sri Lankan government to develop and operate City of Dreams Sri Lanka, marking the island nation's entry into regulated integrated resort gaming. The approval, announced on December 4, 2025, by the Ministry of Tourism, involves a $500 million investment and positions Melco as the pioneer in South Asia's emerging market, blending luxury hospitality with compliant iGaming to attract high-net-worth visitors from India and the Middle East. This development signals Sri Lanka's pivot toward tourism diversification post-economic recovery, injecting revenue into a sector projected to contribute $1.2 billion annually by 2030.

Play 971 has launched as the United Arab Emirates' inaugural fully licensed online casino platform, marking a pivotal entry into the Gulf's nascent regulated iGaming market. Operated by Momentum Logistics, the state-backed entity behind The UAE Lottery, the site has received approval from the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) to deliver internet gaming and sports wagering services. This development signals the UAE's deliberate pivot towards a controlled gambling ecosystem, leveraging its expatriate-heavy population to generate revenue while upholding stringent local safeguards.