The United Arab Emirates is advancing a staged plan to strengthen online safeguards for minors, beginning with social media platforms and later extending to gaming and other digital services. Officials outlined the direction during a meeting of the Education, Human Development and Community Development Council on 15 February 2026, where they described child online safety as a national priority affecting families, schools and the broader community.
Authorities confirmed that the rollout will follow a gradual, risk-based sequence. Regulators intend to focus first on platforms considered most influential in children’s daily routines. Concerns raised during discussions included excessive screen exposure, shifts in household communication patterns, and the impact of digital engagement on attention span, language development and time management.
National Framework And Governance Structure
To coordinate implementation, the Child Digital Safety Council held its inaugural meeting and began shaping a unified national framework. The initiative operates under the Human Development and Community Development Council and aligns with Federal Decree-Law No. 26 of 2025 on Child Digital Safety.
At its first session, the Council defined its responsibilities and approved governance procedures and operational mechanisms. Members agreed to develop a national classification system that will assess digital platforms according to risk level, content type and age suitability. The framework will also address privacy protections, usage standards and children’s digital rights.
Sana Suhail, Minister of Family and Chair of the Child Digital Safety Council, described the development as a significant milestone toward an integrated system. She stated that the objective extends beyond mitigating digital risks and includes enabling children to engage constructively with technology in ways that reinforce family cohesion and contribute to social well-being.
During the council session chaired by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Education, Human Development and Community Development Council, and attended by Sheikha Mariam bint Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice Chairperson, participants also called for closer coordination among education, security, media and health authorities. The council reviewed education policy within a unified reference framework, including standardized Arabic language assessment results, early intervention initiatives, and updates to Arabic and Islamic education curricula aimed at strengthening foundational skills and national identity.
From Awareness To Enforceable Platform Duties
Officials indicated that the forthcoming framework will extend beyond advisory campaigns. Service providers are expected to face clearer regulatory duties, supported by monitoring systems and enforcement tools. Age controls and verification measures will form part of the compliance model as it develops.
Under Federal Decree-Law No. 26 of 2025, digital platforms must prevent children from participating in, creating accounts for, or accessing online commercial gaming activities, including betting and gambling-related services. The restriction also applies to commercial online games that incorporate betting mechanics or other chance-based monetisation features.
For digital gaming and iGaming operators, this direction signals closer examination of age-gating tools, onboarding processes, identity verification systems and marketing exposure. Authorities may require platforms to demonstrate that minors cannot bypass registration controls. The way games present paid chance-driven features may also come under regulatory review.
Legal Adjustments And Gaming Regulation
Policy discussions on child safety intersect with broader legal reforms affecting commercial gaming. Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025 introduces a new Civil Transactions Law that will replace the existing civil code on 1 June 2026. Provisions in the previous legislation that addressed gambling disputes were not carried forward.
Legal analysts interpret this removal as a structural separation between general civil law and the developing commercial gaming regime. Oversight responsibility now lies with the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), the federal body charged with licensing and supervising commercial gaming activities.
The regulator has already begun issuing approvals. In December 2025, it granted the country’s first licensed platform for internet gaming and sports wagering to Play971. This marked an operational step toward establishing a regulated gaming environment. From June 2026, civil courts are expected to handle gambling-related matters within the framework of regulatory compliance rather than under a specific civil-law chapter.
Regional Developments In Child Protection
Efforts to enhance child digital safeguards extend beyond the UAE. In Kuwait, Virgin Mobile Kuwait by Connect Arabia WLL partnered with Kidzonet to introduce Aman by Virgin Mobile, a SIM-based child protection solution that filters content at the network level. The service offers two plans: one blocks social media entirely through the cellular network, while the other provides a restricted browsing environment designed to reduce exposure to harmful content.
The filtering applies across compatible devices connected to the provider’s network, including phones, tablets and routers, without requiring additional applications. The company clarified that the protection does not extend to public Wi-Fi, although home safety options are available. Virgin Mobile stated that the service will expand across Gulf Cooperation Council markets during 2026 as part of a phased rollout.
Within the UAE, the current policy trajectory centers on structured age controls, defined platform responsibilities and formal enforcement mechanisms. What began as a debate about social media now carries implications for digital gaming and commercial gambling services, placing age-gating and access management at the core of the evolving regulatory landscape.
Source:
UAE adopts child digital safety process, securitymiddleeastmag.com, February 17, 2026.
