Online gambling is illegal in the UAE. Some residents access offshore casinos regardless, and this page documents the 25 game types we track at those sites. Games are grouped by how they play rather than by lobby label, so blackjack sits with the card games whether it is dealt live or by software.
Online Slots
Slots are the largest category at every offshore casino covered here, and where most players start. Libraries commonly run into the thousands, though volume matters less than which studios are behind them. Mobile performance matters more in this market than in most, since the majority of play happens on a phone. These range from three-reel classics to feature-heavy video slots with bonus rounds. Volatility and RTP vary widely, so two titles in the same lobby can play very differently.
Card and Table Games
This section covers the classic formats dealt from a deck or played on a table layout, including blackjack, roulette, baccarat, poker, and Rummy. The software versions of these games run on almost any connection, which makes them the dependable option when bandwidth is unreliable. They also play at your own pace rather than a dealer’s.
Poker
Offered as live dealer variants played against the house, and at a few sites as true player-versus-player rooms. Most casinos covered here carry the former rather than a full poker room.
Blackjack
Played against the dealer to 21, with one of the lowest house edges available. The rules variant matters, so check whether a table pays 3:2 or 6:5 on a blackjack.
Dragon Tiger
A two-card version of baccarat, and about as simple as casino games get. One card goes to Dragon, one to Tiger, and you bet on which is higher.
Rummy
A skill-based melding game with a large following among the region’s Indian and South Asian communities. Casino versions are simpler than the cash-game formats on dedicated rummy platforms.
Roulette
Bet on where the ball lands, with European single-zero wheels offering better odds than American double-zero ones. Check which version a table uses before you sit down.
Baccarat
Bet on Player, Banker, or Tie, with almost nothing to decide after that. The Banker bet carries the lowest house edge, which is why it draws most of the action.
Live Casino
Live casino is the most bandwidth-hungry part of any online casino, which makes it the sharpest test of how well a site performs in this region. A lobby that loads quickly can still drop a live stream, so we judge the two separately. Gulf hours also overlap well with European studio prime time, when table variety is at its widest.
Dice Games
Dice games are a small category online, though both appear in live dealer and software form. Sic Bo tends to be the better stocked of the two at the casinos covered here.
Sic Bo
A three-dice game of Chinese origin, played by betting on totals or specific combinations. Payouts scale with how unlikely the outcome is, from near-even money to well over 100 to 1.
Craps
A dice game with a larger bet menu than anything else on the floor. The pass line and come bets carry a low house edge, while most center-table proposition bets are considerably worse.
Lottery Games
Lottery games are games of chance, and not exactly table, board, card, or dice games. Some might have a social component to them.
Lottery
Draw-based games including international lotteries and rapid-draw formats. Results are fixed by the draw, so there is no strategy element at all.
Bingo
Number-matching games played in rooms alongside other players, usually on 75-ball or 90-ball formats. A minor category at the casinos covered here.
Scratch Cards
Digital versions of the paper original, where you reveal symbols for an instant result. Quick and low-stakes, with no decisions to make once the card is bought.
Other Games
These do not fit the card, table, or dice pattern, but several are among the most played formats online. Aviator and the wider crash category have grown quickly, helped by short rounds that suit mobile play.
Aviator
The crash game that defined the category. A multiplier climbs until it crashes, and your job is to cash out before that happens. Spribe’s original sits alongside a long list of similar crash titles.
Mahjong
Tile-matching games based on the Chinese original, usually appearing online as solitaire-style or slot-hybrid versions. The full four-player game is rare.
Monopoly Live
Evolution’s game show format built on a money wheel, with a bonus round played out on a 3D board. It sits closer to a wheel game than to anything on a card table.
Sports Betting
Most of these offshore casinos run a sportsbook on the same account and wallet. Football carries the market by a wide margin, with cricket close behind on the strength of the expatriate audience. Depth thins out quickly beyond those two.
Football Betting
The largest market by volume, built on the Premier League, Champions League, and the major European competitions. UAE Pro League coverage is thinner at offshore books.
Cricket Betting
Driven by the region’s South Asian population, covering the IPL, internationals, and franchise T20 leagues. The ILT20 is played in the UAE and draws varying coverage.
Horse Racing Betting
Covers UK, Australian, and Hong Kong meetings as the standard offering. The Dubai racing season draws local interest, though how deeply books price it varies.
Basketball Betting
Mostly the NBA and EuroLeague, with spreads, totals, and player props. In-play markets update through the game.
Boxing Betting
Fight winner, method, and round markets, concentrated around a handful of major events each year. Undercard coverage varies by book.
Golf Betting
Outright winner, top-finish, and head-to-head markets across the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour. The Dubai events draw the most local attention.
Tennis Betting
Grand Slams and ATP or WTA tour events, including the Dubai tournaments. Popular in-play because the scoring produces constant price movement.
Cycling Betting
Grand tours and one-day classics, with stage winner and overall classification markets. The UAE Tour is a local fixture, though coverage is seasonal.
Formula 1 Betting
Race winner, podium, and head-to-head driver markets across the season. The Abu Dhabi round closes the calendar and draws the heaviest local interest.
