Yolo Group Secures Two Gaming Licenses in UAE
Global iGaming provider Yolo Group has obtained two gaming vendor licences in the United Arab Emirates.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The approvals, issued by the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), cover the company's subsidiaries Hub88 Holdings and Live Online Gaming Services.
These licences allow Yolo to provide business-to-business iGaming content, including aggregation platforms through Hub88 and live casino services via Live88 and Onetouch, to operators in the UAE's emerging regulated market.
The move positions Live88 as the first online live casino studio licensed in the country. Yolo plans to establish a dedicated live dealer studio in Abu Dhabi while maintaining its product development and testing operations in Estonia.
The company sees the UAE as a gateway for expansion across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, where it is the first nation to introduce gambling regulations. Other major vendors, such as Aristocrat, IGT, Novomatic and Light & Wonder, have secured similar approvals, building out the local supplier ecosystem.
Obtaining these licenses in the UAE is more than a regulatory achievement, it is a statement of intent. Yolo Group is committed to building the future of gaming on trust, transparency, and world-class innovation. The UAE is setting the stage for what modern, regulated gaming should look like, and we are proud to be part of that journey.
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From Crypto to Compliance
Yolo achieves this milestone as it works to redirect its operations toward licensed jurisdictions. Once known for its crypto-focused brands (link unavailable) and (link unavailable) in less regulated spaces, the company announced in September that it would unify these platforms under a single brand, Yolo.com
Targeting Tier-1 markets like Canada, Sweden, and Finland, the company plans to launch a hybrid model combining online and offline play, with features such as a shared wallet and MiCA-compliant crypto payments.
The pivot followed three years of internal preparation. Yolo has exited unregulated markets, and laid off about 280 staff in Estonia as it streamlines for compliance.
The UAE greenlight represents a major validation of the company’s strategic shift towards regulated markets. The country's efforts to establish itself as a gaming hub in the Middle East align perfectly with the company's focus on innovation within a regulated framework.
Yolo's next steps include establishing a €250 million investment fund in Abu Dhabi, focusing on fintech, blockchain and gaming infrastructure, further deepening its ties to the region.
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