Blackstone has invested $250 million in Advanced Digital Gaming Technology, a newly established payments and data intelligence platform headquartered in Abu Dhabi, aimed at supporting regulated digital markets globally.
The platform, known as ADGT, has been formed through a strategic partnership between Blackstone, Raya Holding, NRT Technology, and Sightline Payments. It is designed to provide payments, compliance, and data infrastructure for both land-based and online regulated gaming ecosystems.
ADGT will initially focus on deployments across the United Arab Emirates, the broader Middle East and Africa, and select international corridors. The company is positioned as a core payments and compliance provider within the UAE’s emerging regulated commercial gaming market, where it is currently the only licensed platform able to contract directly with both physical venues and online platforms.
The platform integrates digital wallets, real-time funding and payout systems, identity and access management, compliance monitoring, and interoperable infrastructure to support both on-property transactions and digital engagement. It is designed to enable national-scale deployments and cross-border interoperability while adapting to evolving regulatory frameworks.
Blackstone highlighted the UAE as a key market for capital deployment, citing its growth across travel, leisure, and technology sectors, alongside its regulatory and institutional support for next-generation digital infrastructure. The firm has maintained a presence in the UAE since 2010 and continues to invest in scalable platforms with regional and global expansion potential.
KEY QUOTES:
“ADGT was created in the UAE from the ground up to serve as a new global standard for financial payments technology. Built upon modern infrastructure, and with a strong institutional and regulatory framework, we have created a platform that is designed, built, governed and experienced with resilience and scalability in mind. With the backing of Blackstone, Raya Holding and the leading payments technology partnerships, we have the scale, resources and credibility to create a global success story engineered and headquartered in the UAE.”
Michael Dominelli, CEO of Advanced Digital Gaming Technology
“We see significant opportunity to deploy capital at scale in the UAE to build companies that can grow both domestically and internationally, despite near term headwinds. The UAE is a global leader in travel and leisure, with emerging strength in technology, and we are excited to support ADGT to capitalize on these powerful trends.”
Jon Gray, President and Chief Operating Officer of Blackstone
“ADGT reflects the UAE’s long-term vision to lead in the development of next-generation financial technology and regulated digital infrastructure. With a progressive regulatory framework and strong institutional support, the UAE continues to create an environment where global technology platforms can be built and scaled. Through this partnership with Blackstone, and the integration of proven technology capabilities from NRT Technology and Sightline, ADGT is positioned to establish a new benchmark for regulated payments infrastructure. From Abu Dhabi, we are developing a platform designed not only to serve the UAE, but to support the evolution of regulated digital markets globally.”
H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Sultan Bin Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan
