Mahzooz, a popular raffle draw, has announced a temporary pause to its draws, it said in a statement to its subscribers on Sunday.

“Starting January 1, 2024, Mahzooz will temporarily pause operations in compliance with gaming regulations. This industry-wide mandate aligns with regulators' efforts to create a well-regulated gaming environment in the UAE,” said the statement.

The last weekly draw date was on December 30, 2023.

The company updated its FAQ where it revealed that “no draws will be held after December 30, 2023 until further notice from the regulators.” However, the customers’ accounts will remain active allowing them to withdraw any outstanding balances in their Mahzooz account after this temporary pause.

Launched in 2020, Mahzooz has crowned 64 millionaires, giving away Dh500 million to over 1.8 million winners. In 2023 alone, Mahzooz made 33 people millionaires through its raffles.

People participating in the raffle need to purchase a water bottle for Dh35, with the product donated to those in need. Each purchase earns a participant one line in the Grand Draw, with a chance to claim life-changing winnings.

Aim to resume soon

The gaming company said it is looking forward to resuming the draws “soon” – mostly likely in the first quarter of 2024 once it gets go ahead from the regulators.

“We genuinely appreciate your understanding during this short break… We appreciate your incredible support over the past three years. Mahzooz remains committed to transparency, responsibility and integrity in gaming,” said the statement.

In September 2023, the UAE set up a federal body – General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority – to regulate the gaming sector in the country. Veteran US gaming industry executive Kevin Mullally was named the chief executive.

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