Fanatics has announced that it plans to start suspending or banning bettors who harass athletes and coaches on social media platforms as part of an initiative targeted at...
Fanatics partners with Momentum Group to enter UAE
Fanatics has signed a joint venture agreement with Momentum Group, the operator of the UAE Lottery, to launch its gaming and sports betting operations in the country.
Momentum received permission back in 2024 and is currently the only licensed sports betting operator in the UAE, but under the joint venture, Fanatics will take over the operator’s licenses and integrate its technology, product knowledge, and speed-to-scale capabilities into the operations.
COO of Momentum, Scott Burton, commented:
“Combining Momentum’s regional experience with Fanatics’ global product capability creates a partnership well placed to grow alongside this market for the long term.”
Momentum also operates the UAE’s sole iGaming and sports betting platform called Play971, which is regulated by the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA).
President of Fanatics Gaming, Conor Grant, added:
“The UAE is establishing one of the most thoughtfully regulated commercial gaming markets in the world, and Momentum has demonstrated what a responsible, credible operation within it looks like. We are entering this market for the long term, committed to building something genuinely category-defining together.”
The deal is part of Fanatics’ expansion strategy into the Middle East, as the operator had shared in early June 2026 that it plans to establish a new office in Qatar, which would become its hub for regional operations.
The UAE’s General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) has appointed the former head of Crown Resorts, Ciarán Carruthers, as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
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