UAE is the next 'great' lottery market, says EQL Games CEO
The UAE is gradually opening its regulated gaming market to international vendors through a phased licensing process. Among the companies recently granted vendor licences are global suppliers such as Aristocrat, Scientific Games, Light & Wonder, IGT, and Novomatic, along with others including Konami Gaming, Pollard Banknote, TCSJOHNHUXLEY, Fennica Gaming, Random State, and Xpoint. EQL Games joined the list earlier in April this year after receiving a Gaming-Related Vendor licence from the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA).
Following the approval, the company signed a multi-year agreement with The Game LLC, operator of the UAE Lottery — the country’s first federally licensed digital lottery platform. The vendor licence allows the company to offer its full range of regulated lottery games on the UAE’s first official digital lottery platform.
In June, the UAE Lottery , developed by Random State in partnership with EQL Games. The release is the first step in a wider content strategy aimed at building engagement in a market still new to regulated digital lottery.
In an exclusive interview with SiGMA News, EQL Games CEO Brad Cummings discussed how the company adapted its approach for the UAE, how it is working closely with the regulator to support the growth of The UAE Lottery, and the company’s strategic shift.
Pivoting from sports-based games to digital-first iLottery
To reflect on the company’s evolution, the discussion started with Cummings explaining the strategic shift EQL Games made three years ago. He said, “About three years ago, we made a major pivot as a company, originally focusing on lottery games of chance based on the results of live sporting events like Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association. In fact, we are the first company to pull off such a lottery game in the US with our launch of Win Place Show in Kentucky, a game based on the results of live horse racing.”
He explained that the uncertainty around sports post-pandemic and the rise of iLottery adoption in the United States prompted the company to move away from sports-based lottery games. He said,“We decided to pivot by shifting our tech focus to purely digital lottery platforms and realised we could be in a position to deliver the first ever aggregator of exclusively iLottery content in the world.” This model was quickly adopted and is now live in multiple US markets, including Virginia, Washington DC and Michigan.
Building the UAE partnership
Cummings’ long-standing relationship with Bishop Woosley, Director of Lottery Operations at The Game, was a key factor in the UAE partnership.
He said, “A year ago, Bishop called me and asked if we could deliver iLottery content for The UAE Lottery in 30 days. Just like any good entrepreneur I said ‘of course’ and the process began.”
Although the official launch did not happen until June 2025, EQL Games signed the contract by the end of the first quarter and delivered “a fully operational content solution in exactly 90 days from contract signing”. Cummings added, “I think the reason they went with us is because we’re very nimble and respond quickly to challenges which are two qualities that are essential for a successful launch, especially for a new lottery.”
Choosing the first games
On being asked about the key factors considered before launching the original titles Marble Run and Lucky Lagoon in the UAE, Cummings said, “The regulations around the digital games in the UAE are conducive to longer play games, more similar to what you see in European markets.”
He explained,“These two games that are beautifully rendered and based on the early numbers, are a welcome part of The UAE Lottery portfolio. We’ll launch games of all different play styles, but we thought something with a little more engagement was the right move out of the gate to attract customers old and new.”
Exclusive provider status and roadmap
When asked why now was the right time to enter the Middle East iLottery market and how the exclusive partnership influences EQL Games’ role, Cummings said, “First, it’s just such an honour to be able to make that claim as the sole provider for this exciting new market. The exclusivity makes The UAE Lottery one of our premiere lotteries and the first and only federally licensed lottery in the United Arab Emirates and the Gulf region to use EQL as its sole content provider.”
He added that the agreement also involves deeper collaboration. He said, “We love this model because not only are we providing content, but we’re also working with The UAE Lottery team directly to create the content roadmap for the year, helping to set the foundation for a lottery that will undoubtedly be a leader in the industry for years to come.”
He also outlined why the UAE was a clear target, “It’s an easy decision to enter the Middle East market and especially the UAE, which has made headlines of late as one of the more exciting places to do business in the world. This is the next and maybe last great new lottery and gaming market and EQL is not alone in feeling that way.”
Game design, compliance and market learning
To address how EQL Games approaches game design and development for a market that is new to regulated digital lottery, Cummings said, “We look at it like we’re telling a story through content. We started with longer play games because we just thought those products were next level. The UAE is about excellence and we wanted the first products to live up to that measure.”
He added that the company will continue to diversify its game offerings. “The next games we’re going to launch are simpler games. Easy to understand and easy to play. They move a little quicker than these first games and so we’re showing players that eInstants can be quite varied in their play styles as this market continues to get familiarised with this content.”
On future plans, he said, “Throughout the rest of the year, we’ll be further expanding what an eInstant game can be, ranging from games that feature progressive jackpots, keno products that introduce an entirely different way to look at lottery, and further dig into the longer play games mentioned earlier. Within a year of our launch in this market, we will have taken players through as complete a digital lottery content experience as current regulations will allow.”
Balancing speed to market with compliance
When asked how EQL Games balances speed to market with localisation and compliance in a new jurisdiction like the UAE, Cummings explained, “When starting with a new lottery, it’s easy to focus on the more glamorous things such as content selection, but the most important considerations are always around compliance. We have worked diligently with the GCGRA to ensure that all products offered through The UAE Lottery meet compliance needs.”
He added, “Speed to market is what separates us from our competitors so that’s actually relatively simple for us to accomplish. The real work comes in navigating new regulations and helping to create a repeatable process that balances the needs of the regulator while exploring what players want in the market.”
Views on the UAE’s regulatory framework
Cummings also engaged with the discussion on the UAE’s regulatory framework and how it compares to other markets. He further said,“We don’t have a strong opinion on the regulatory framework and feel it unnecessary to compare markets. Our job is to fully understand this framework and to ensure that we are being a great partner to our lottery client and the regulatory body in that market.”
Why the UAE is a unique market
To explain what makes the UAE market unique, Cummings said, “There really is very little gaming in the entire region historically so what’s most unique (and exciting) about this market is that we’re learning the player as we go without much historical data to go by. When you look at lottery markets across the world, you’ll notice that no two lotteries are the same in their player preferences. Even between different US state lotteries, there are games that hit strong in one market and are just ok in others. To know that we’ll play a big part in establishing the conventional wisdom around what The UAE Lottery players want to play makes this a very unique opportunity for us.”
How the iLottery Marketplace model works
Expanding on how EQL Games supports lotteries with content variety, Cummings detailed the company’s iLottery Marketplace model and how third-party studios are integrated. “Lotteries definitely want more and better content options, but these are usually entities that have limitations that can make this desire less attainable. We understand that our partners usually can’t staff up to meet increased demand and that having individual relationships with more than 20 different studios is not a real reality. So how do lotteries expand their content needs without being able to fully support the effort?”
He said the iLottery Marketplace solves this challenge. “When you work with EQL Games, you get access to more than 20 studios worth of content, including games built by our in-house studio, EQL Labs. Along with the studios that we already bring to the table, should a lottery want to add another studio to their offering but don’t want to go through the hassle of a direct integration, we will add that studio through our existing integration with the lottery. This not only gives lotteries more content options, but enables great studios from across the world to access markets they would have no shot of accessing otherwise. It’s a model that helps everyone achieve their goals and I am always drawn to the win-win mentality.”
He also highlighted how the model simplifies operations. “We also make the day-to-day elements easier on lotteries. Again, instead of having to work with more than 20 different studios and staffs, all elements of game delivery run through the same EQL team regardless of the studio. This creates a familiar workflow, documentation that is universal, and allows lessons learned to be carried across all studios instead of a lottery having to go through the same growing pains with each new studio launch.”
Partnerships and long-term vision
Cummings sees major suppliers such as Scientific Games and Fennica Gaming as partners rather than competitors. On being asked how EQL Games plans to differentiate itself as other global vendors enter the market, Cummings said, “Both Scientific Games and Fennica Gaming are actually partners of ours and we look forward to helping to supply their content in the UAE market as early as this year. We don’t see the need to differentiate ourselves from them, but instead we see them as valuable content partners, along with others, that will help us deliver a great content plan for The UAE Lottery for the foreseeable future with diversified content offerings.”
Long-term vision in the Middle East
When discussing the company’s future plans in the Middle East, Cummings said, “We are currently dedicated to supporting this platform as a gold standard in the region. While we are always keeping our eyes on other markets we can introduce our content through, our current plans are focused on maximising this opportunity as it pertains to our Middle East interests.”
Trends shaping the global lottery market
To reflect on trends that operators might be underestimating, Cummings said, “We believe lotteries should launch more products, more often when it comes to their digital offerings. Many lotteries are still only launching one or two games per month and being more selective than they may need to be. A limited launch strategy makes a ton of sense when you are dealing with physical tickets like you see at retail. However, one of the great advantages of online is the ability to try new things without the limitations of shelf space and lotteries should use this flexibility to their benefit.”
He added that experimentation is crucial to success. “Not everything is going to work, but the best way to find the great games of the future is to experiment with new products and see how players respond. In fact, this desire to increase capacity was the inspiration for the streamlined approach of our iLottery Marketplace model. We strive to ease some of these operational concerns so that we can give lotteries the tools to increase their product launches, expand their player base, and ultimately return profits to their stakeholders.”
The future of lottery
When asked to describe the next generation of lottery players, Cummings used one word, “Limitless.” He further added, “The next generation of lottery players will be unlike any generation of lottery players we have known because they will be so digital native. Since they will have little pre-conceived notion of what a lottery game has been historically, they will have a limitless view of what a lottery game can be and will give companies like ours an incredible opportunity to continue to evolve the category.”
