UAE holidays in 2025, national lottery essential information, the Riyadh Metro starts operations, Dubai real estate latest and more
The UAE’s first federally licensed lottery is just a week away and people in the country are looking forward to the AED100m ($27.2m) prize draw. Find out everything you need to know, from game types and rules to the odds of winning major cash prizes.
Also this week, we looked ahead to the 2025 public holiday dates, the Riyadh Metro made its long-awaited debut, Mohamed Alabbar spoke out on ambitions for the future of Noon, off-plan property in Dubai was in the spotlight and more.
Catch up with 10 of the best stories this week as selected by Arabian Business editors.
UAE lottery: How to buy tickets, $27m grand prize, scratch cards, odds of winning, draw date
The UAE Lottery will host its first prize draw on Saturday, December 14 with a grand prize of AED100m ($27.2m).
The game is the first federally licensed lottery in the region and is operated by The Game LLC under licence from the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA).
Offering residents aged 18 and above multiple ways to win cash prizes. Two types of games are currently available from the UAE Lottery. Fortnightly Lucky Day grand prize draw has multiple ways of winning and a top prize of AED100m ($27.2m).
UAE Holidays 2025: Mark these dates in your calendar now
Following Eid Al Etihad celebrations for UAE National Day people in the country have enjoyed the final public holiday of the year.
The extended weekend break followed a number of celebrations throughout the year, with holidays for the public and private sector for occasions such as New Year’s Day, Eid Al Adha and UAE National Day.
While official dates for many holidays are based on the Islamic calendar and will be revealed closer to the time, some dates and expected dates can already be calculated.
Dubai paid parking hike: Parkin announces new peak, off-peak rates in 2025
Dubai’s public paid parking service provider, Parkin has announced a Variable Parking Tariff Policy set to begin in March 2025.
The new policy, developed in collaboration with the Road and Transport Authority (RTA), introduces dynamic pricing across Dubai’s parking facilities, strategically designed to optimise traffic flow and parking management in high-density areas.
Parkin will designate premium parking spaces in strategic locations, including areas near public transportation infrastructure, central business districts, and major shopping destinations.
Riyadh Metro now open: Ticket prices, routes, key dates revealed
The Riyadh Metro has opened its doors to passengers today, following the inauguration by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on November 27, 2024.
Operated by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC), the metro is now serving commuters on three of its six lines:
- The Blue Line (Al-Olaya-Al Batha)
- The Yellow Line (King Khalid International Airport Road)
- Purple Line (Abdulrahman bin Aauf Street–Sheikh Hassan bin Hussain bin Ali Road)
Alabbar: Noon ‘close’ to being largest delivery company in UAE, ‘this is our hometown’
In a wide-ranging interview with Arabian Business, Noon and Emaar founder Mohamed Alabbar revealed that the ecommerce firm is on track to be the largest delivery company in the UAE and wider region.
“This is our market. We are very close to being the largest delivery and ecommerce company in Dubai and the region,” he said.
Alabbar’s comments come as competition in the food delivery market heats up, with the MENA region experiencing a surge in restaurant delivery, driven by a growing consumer appetite for convenience. The billionaire founder made it clear he welcomes the challenge of taking on this market, saying, “We will take care of our home town. What we have done in Noon [in food delivery] in two years is amazing.”
Dubai real estate: Off-plan property sales increase by over 50% as demand outstrips supply
Dubai off-plan property sales saw a surge of more than 50 percent in Q3 as the city real estate sector continues to flourish, according to JLL research.
The Dubai real estate market defied global headwinds in the third quarter of 2024, maintaining strong momentum and robust activity across all sectors, according to JLL’s latest Market Dynamics report.
High transaction volumes and an upward trajectory underscore the market’s resilience, fuelled by strong economic fundamentals.
Meet Ramesh Shukla, the UAE’s beloved photographer known for capturing the nation’s most iconic photographs
In 2021 – to celebrate the UAE‘s 50th National Day – the Central Bank unveiled a commemorative AED50 banknote that would become a testament to the nation’s historic journey
The polymer note features a photograph of profound national significance: a captivating moment capturing the late His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the visionary founding father of the UAE, signing the agreement that would transform six emirates into a unified nation on December 2, 1971.
The note’s reverse side displays the equally iconic ‘Spirit of the Union’ photograph, which has also become the official logo for UAE National Day. However, the photograph wasn’t just any historical document, rather it was a legacy captured by Ramesh Shukla – a photographer who had witnessed and preserved a pivotal moment in the UAE’s creation.
Dubai real estate: Gen Z tipped to be majority buyers as market sees major shift in investor profiles
The Dubai residential real estate market is seeing a paradigm shift in terms of the average age of home-owners, with Gen Z projected to soon take over as majority buyers, industry players said.
Trends such as sustainable living and integration of new technologies in housing are also gaining traction with the new set of buyers, prompting developers to tweak concepts and designs of new projects to cater to the emerging buyer preferences currently gaining prominence.
“The Dubai housing market is increasingly seeing a major shift in buyer profiles, with a steady decrease in the age of buyers,” Ankur Aggarwal, Chairman and Founder of Dubai-based BNW Developments, told Arabian Business. “While the millennials – those born in late 1980’s to early 1990’s – are currently leading the buying trends when it comes to housing units in Dubai, it is expected that Gen Z – those born in late 1990’s – will soon take over as majority buyers,” he said.
UAE free zone offers new startup packages with visa for company lifetime and easy launch perks
Masdar City, Abu Dhabi’s sustainable community and UAE free zone, has introduced two new tailored business packages—Start Lite and Business One.
These initiatives aim to attract a diverse array of companies, streamline the business setup process, and support Abu Dhabi’s Vision 2030 in fostering a resilient, innovation-driven economy.
Start Lite Package is designed for startups and entrepreneurs, this package offers business setup starting from AED3,500, enabling up to three business activities with a zero-visa quota. Meanwhile, Business One Package is geared toward established and expanding companies, this package provides setup starting from AED17,500, allowing up to five business activities, one free visa for the company’s lifetime, and support for up to three shareholders, with options to add more at an additional cost.
Dubai’s AED1,070 e-trader licence: Guide for freelancers, home businesses and entrepreneurs – all you need to know
Dubai’s Department of Economic Development (DED) offers home-based entrepreneurs an affordable route to legitimise their online businesses through the e-trader licence, with fees starting from AED1,070.
As regional freelance registrations show a 142 percent increase from 2022 to 2023 according to recruitment firm Outzised, more entrepreneurs may be looking to formalise their home-based businesses through this streamlined permit system.
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