Prize draw companies in the UAE have applied to become the country's sole operator, senior figures from the firms confirmed.
Both Mahzooz and Emirates Draw have registered their intent to run the national UAE prize draw, with one licence up for grabs. The news comes after the announcement that prize draw firms had to stop operating last week until further notice.
Suzan Kazzi, head of communications and corporate social responsibility at Ewings, which manages Mahzooz, said she was confident the company met all the regulatory requirements to be the new operator and would soon be back up and running.
“We are optimistic for several reasons," said Ms Kazzi, speaking at a press conference in Dubai on Friday. "We have a proven track record of changing people’s lives through Mahzooz’s excellent performance for the past three years.
"Our customer base, infrastructure and the team of international experts can immediately start the new operations as soon as we are given the green light."
Mahzooz, along with Emirates Draw, put operations on hold to comply with instructions from the authorities.
It was business as usual, however, for other firms such as Big Ticket and Dubai Duty, which continued to sell tickets.
But Ms Kazzi said: "We ceased our sales on January 1, 2024, as directed by the regulators in line with our values of integrity and transparency.
"We recognise the value in the regulators’ efforts towards creating a regulated and responsible gaming environment in the UAE.
“We are expecting to know the result before end of the first quarter of this year."
Emirates Draw is also in the race to become the nation's official prize draw operator.
"We have completed the application process and are very hopeful of being awarded the national lottery licence from the UAE Gaming Regulatory Authority [GCGRA)]" said Paul Chader, head of commercial at Emirates Draw.
"In less than three years, Emirates Draw has distributed over Dh168 million in prizes to more than 800,000 winners.
"Backed by a loyal customer base, a robust infrastructure and a team with over 200 years of collective global expertise, we're confident that our solutions lead the way in the global gaming landscape."
The National has contacted the GCGRA for comment.
New millionaires
Two UAE residents were lucky enough to win big before the newly imposed ban came into effect, both taking home Dh10 million in the last Mahzooz draw of 2023.
Zenobia, a 67-year-old Indian grandmother, and Serhii, 33, from Ukraine, started the new year by sharing the top prize of Dh20 million ($2.7 million).
Both their surnames were withheld by organisers for security reasons.
“I was thrilled,” Zenobia said. "It was shocking to win the major prize.
"I will use the money to travel abroad for vacation with my family and two granddaughters."
Married with a daughter, son and two grandchildren, she has lived in Dubai for 33 years and has taken part in the Mahzooz draw since 2021 with dreams of becoming a millionaire.
Serhii, who works as an operations manager for a construction company in Dubai, said he has not yet decided what to do with his winnings.
“I will freeze the money in my bank account for at least a year,” he said. "I want to process this and realise what has happened to me."
He said he was speechless and shocked when he received the confirmation call.
“I have participated in Mahzooz for years and usually I win small prizes such as Dh35 or Dh100," he said. "I saw the email and thought I might have won a small prize again.
"The next day I received a call congratulating me for winning Dh10 million."
Serhii has been living in the UAE for a decade, working to support his family. After receiving news of his win, the first thing he did was call his parents in Ukraine on January 1 to tell them that he was now a millionaire.
“It is a dream come true but nothing changes for me," he said. "It is a bounce to make my life easier."
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Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Scoreline:
Barcelona 2
Suarez 85', Messi 86'
Atletico Madrid 0
Red card: Diego Costa 28' (Atletico)
Racecard
6.30pm: Mazrat Al Ruwayah Group Two (PA) US$55,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.05pm: Meydan Trophy (TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,900m
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (D) 1,200m
8.15pm: Balanchine Group Two (TB) $250,000 (T) 1,800m
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,000m
9.25pm: Firebreak Stakes Group Three (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,600m
10pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,410m
The National selections: 6.30pm: RM Lam Tara, 7.05pm: Al Mukhtar Star, 7.40pm: Bochart, 8.15pm: Magic Lily, 8.50pm: Roulston Scar, 9.25pm: Quip, 10pm: Jalmoud
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
Company%C2%A0profile
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World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
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Bert van Marwijk factfile
Born: May 19 1952
Place of birth: Deventer, Netherlands
Playing position: Midfielder
Teams managed:
1998-2000 Fortuna Sittard
2000-2004 Feyenoord
2004-2006 Borussia Dortmund
2007-2008 Feyenoord
2008-2012 Netherlands
2013-2014 Hamburg
2015-2017 Saudi Arabia
2018 Australia
Major honours (manager):
2001/02 Uefa Cup, Feyenoord
2007/08 KNVB Cup, Feyenoord
World Cup runner-up, Netherlands
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Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
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