Fanatics Secures UAE Licence Through Momentum Joint Venture

Momentum Group and Fanatics announced on 29 June a strategic joint venture that moves all of Momentum’s UAE commercial gaming licences and operations into the new business. The General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority has approved the change in control, covering Momentum’s licensed lottery, iGaming, sportsbook and content website activities. The deal gives Fanatics a regulated entry point into the UAE through an already licensed local operator.

The regulatory approval is the centre of the story. The UAE is still at an early stage of commercial gaming development. GCGRA’s approval of a new control structure signals what type of international participation the market is prepared to accept.

Momentum brings the local licence base and operating record. Fanatics brings sportsbook and iGaming product capability from the US, where it runs licensed betting and casino products across multiple states. The company also brings a broader sports business that, according to the release, reaches more than 100 million fans and holds partnerships with more than 900 sports properties.

The venture plans to invest in technology, product, responsible gaming and player protection. Momentum and Fanatics said full compliance with the GCGRA framework will remain central to how the UAE business operates.

The GCGRA was established to license and supervise commercial gaming in the UAE as the country opens a regulated market after decades of prohibition. Change-of-control approvals like this one are an early test of how the regulator evaluates new ownership structures and international partners entering the market.

For Fanatics, the deal is a controlled market entry rather than a speculative international push. It gains access to a regulated market without starting from zero on licensing, local operations or regulator trust.

For Momentum, the partnership gives its UAE licences a stronger product and technology engine at a point when the market is moving from regulatory design into commercial execution. Early operators in the UAE are likely to shape customer standards, compliance expectations and supplier requirements before the market becomes more crowded.

Suppliers serving the UAE market, including those in compliance, payments and player protection technology, are likely to see new demand as the venture builds out its operations. Affiliates active in Middle East markets should also monitor how Fanatics positions its UAE offering, since an established global sports brand entering the market could shift player acquisition dynamics in the region.

💡 TGJ Take

This deal shows how the UAE plans to scale regulated gaming: local licence holders paired with approved international partners, not a flood of new entrants. The real signal is GCGRA’s approval of the change in control, which shows the regulator is already testing ownership and operating standards in practice. Suppliers should expect demand for compliance tools, responsible gambling systems and payment and account management products. Operators eyeing the UAE now have a sharper benchmark. Brand size alone will not secure entry, regulatory credibility will.