Ciarán Carruthers Named Head of UAE Regulator 

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Former Asia-Pacific casino operator Ciarán Carruthers has been tabbed as the new chief executive officer for the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), the gaming regulator in the new gaming market of the UAE. Carruthers replaces Kevin Mullally who was the first CEO of the organization. Mullally resigned last November and now heads up the International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR).  

Carruthers has had a varied career in the Asia- Pacific market, working for many of the operators in Macau and Singapore. He most recently was CEO of Crown Resorts, guiding the company through a regulatory minefield after it was found to have violated multiple financial rules and a threat of license removal. Crown was able to retain its casino licenses in Victoria and New South Wales, after which Carruthers left the company in November 2024.  

He’s entering the nascent regulatory system in the UAE, which is preparing for the opening of Wynn Al Marjan Island, the country’s first licensed casino resort scheduled to open in 2027. 

Jim Murren, the former MGM Resorts leader and chairman of the GCGRA, said Carruthers’ operational experience will be crucial to his job.  

“We are pleased to welcome Ciarán to the GCGRA leadership team,” Murren said. “He brings the experience and vision to lead the authority as we continue to build a world-class regulatory framework for commercial gaming in the UAE.”