TLDR Ciarán Carruthers has been appointed CEO of the UAE’s gambling regulator, the GCGRA He replaces Kevin Mullally, who resigned in November 2024 for family reasons Carruthers previously led Crown Resorts in Australia through a major compliance overhaul The UAE’s first online gaming site, Play971, went live after Mullally’s departure Wynn’s Ras Al Khaimah casino faces a modest delay due to the 2026 Iran conflict
Ciarán Carruthers, a veteran of Asia’s casino industry, has been named the new chief executive of the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) in the UAE.
He becomes the regulator’s second permanent CEO, taking over from Kevin Mullally, who resigned in November 2024 for family reasons. GCGRA Chairman Jim Murren had been serving as interim CEO since then.
Carruthers said he was honoured to “contribute to the continued development of the UAE’s regulatory framework for commercial gaming.”
Murren praised the appointment, saying Carruthers brings “exactly the calibre of leadership this role demands” and highlighted his track record working with governments and regulators across multiple jurisdictions.
Who Is Ciarán Carruthers?
Carruthers has held senior roles at some of Asia’s biggest casino operators, including Galaxy, Sands China, and Wynn Macau. Most recently, he served as CEO of Crown Resorts in Australia, a position he left on December 31, 2024.
At Crown, he led the company through a major clean-up of its anti-money laundering and responsible gambling processes. The company had faced serious scrutiny following the Bergin Report, which found evidence of money laundering and criminal links at its properties.
Under his leadership, Crown retained its Victoria licence in 2024 after the state’s gambling regulator was satisfied past failures were being addressed. Crown Sydney also received a full, unrestricted licence that same year.
The State of the UAE Gaming Market
The GCGRA was established in