Dubai has rolled out a digital platform that will regulate all lottery activities held in the emirate. 

The first-of-its-kind app, called “Dubai Raffles”, is open to both merchants and consumers who are looking to offer or participate in any game of chance, including scan/ scratch and win promotions and prize draws, the Dubai Economy said on Wednesday. 

“[This is a] platform for traders and consumers, a fully comprehensive, integrated platform for merchants to manage raffle draws,” it said. 

Through the platform, players will find all the information they need about the draws they may be interested in. 

For those who wish to buy a ticket or participate in any draw, it “requires only a few minutes” to do so on the smart app, the Dubai Economy said. 

The app can be downloaded on users’ mobile phones. 

Raffle draws are popular in the UAE, with several companies, including Dubai Duty Free, Abu Dhabi Duty Free and many banks and retailers around the country, offering consumers the opportunity to win cash prizes worth up to millions of dirhams. 

In Dubai Duty Free's "Millennium Millionaire", one of the longest-running lotteries in the UAE, ticket buyers are offered the chance to win a staggering $1 million.

Also popular is the "Big Ticket" campaign at the Abu Dhabi International Airport, which has turned many players into multimillionaires overnight.

The Dubai Economy did not specify whether all raffle draw organisers are mandated to register with the platform. 

(Reporting by Cleofe Maceda; editing by Seban Scaria) 

Cleofe.maceda@refinitiv.com 

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