Japanese renowned gaming company KONAMI recently announced that it has successfully obtained a gaming-related supplier license from the General Commercial Gambling Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) of the UAE, becoming one of the first 14 companies to enter the UAE gambling market. The news immediately caused a huge stir in the global gaming community—not because of the license itself, but because this company was once a cherished part of many gamers' youth memories as KONAMI.
From Childhood Masterpieces to "Betraying" Gamers
Whether it was playing on the Subor console as a child, or later on PlayStation, Xbox, or in arcades, nearly every gamer has encountered KONAMI's works. "Metal Gear," "Pro Evolution Soccer," "Castlevania," "Yu-Gi-Oh," and "Tokimeki Memorial," KONAMI, with its classic IPs, established itself as a leader during the "golden age of gaming" from the 1990s to the early 2000s.
However, 2015 marked a significant turning point. At that time, KONAMI's split with legendary producer Hideo Kojima, the cancellation of the "P.T." project, and the halt of flagship series like "Silent Hill," marked the company's official strategic transformation—shifting focus gradually from console and PC games to the more profitable and less risky gambling and health entertainment businesses.
This was also the moment that broke many old gamers' defenses. They couldn't understand why KONAMI, once meticulous about plot, music, worldviews, and technical details, would turn to slot machines, management systems, gym memberships, and mobile games.
Gambling is not a "New Business," but KONAMI's "Main Job"
In fact, KONAMI entered the gambling industry as early as 1996, with its subsidiary Konami Gaming, Inc., based in Las Vegas, focusing on designing slot machines and system solutions for casinos worldwide for many years.
What truly established KONAMI's dominant position in gambling was its flagship product—the casino management system SYNKROS®. This enterprise-level CMS (Casino Management System) can track data from each slot machine in real-time, manage member points, execute precise marketing, and even meet regulatory requirements for financial flows and compliance operations. Its stability has reached 99.99%, and it has been adopted by hundreds of casinos, cruise ships, and resorts worldwide.
Frankly, the video game industry is "competitive," with high investments and high risks, while KONAMI's gambling business is almost irreplaceable, able to generate stable profits and maintain strong customer loyalty. Instead of gambling on AAA game development, it's easier and more stable to be a "basic infrastructure provider" for casinos.
Betting on UAE: Betting on the New Blue Ocean of Middle Eastern Gambling
The UAE's gambling market is starting from scratch. To support the brewing Wynn Al Marjan Island casino project, the UAE established the gambling regulatory authority GCGRA in 2023, gradually setting up a complete legal gambling framework.
On July 24, 2025, KONAMI became one of the first 14 companies to obtain a Gaming-Related Vendor License in the UAE. This license allows it to provide slot machines, SYNKROS systems, and related software services to UAE casinos, and may include online gambling platforms in the future. It is widely believed that KONAMI has reached a preliminary cooperation agreement with the Wynn Al Marjan Island project and is likely to become the core system provider for the casino.
The Middle Eastern gambling industry is still a "blue ocean"—with a strategic location, high-value customer flow, new regulations, and competition not yet intense. For KONAMI, this is a strategically significant step in its global gambling layout.
Gamers curse it, not because it makes money, but because it "changed"
KONAMI's foray into gambling is no secret, but every "solid proof" is enough to hurt a generation of gamers' emotional nerves. On social media, many users angrily declare "KONAMI no longer deserves to be called KONAMI," "completely abandoning gamers for quick money."
Some comments read: "It's not that I oppose your gambling, it's that you haven't been involved in gaming for a long time." Others say: "The KONAMI of our youth was the company that spent time creating perfect works, not the factory making slot machines now."
In fact, understanding KONAMI's business transformation is not difficult. By 2023, the global gambling market had reached $270 billion, expected to exceed $340 billion by 2028, while the video game market is relatively smaller and more competitive. Faced with such reality, KONAMI's choice seems rational, yet it mercilessly declares the end of an era.
Conclusion: It's doing well, but we no longer see that KONAMI
KONAMI doesn't misunderstand the love of gamers, but it has chosen to say goodbye. It hasn't fallen, but has "sought other heights." However, for those who once teared up in "Metal Gear" and experienced youth in "Tokimeki Memorial," the KONAMI that poured its heart into making games is dead, and what remains is an increasingly unfamiliar shell.
