A planned US$1.6bn luxury resort linked to the Trump family is raising questions over whether casino gaming could form part of a major tourism development on Albania’s uninhabited Sazan Island.
The proposed Sazan Island Resort would transform the 2.2 square mile island in the Adriatic Sea, a former military zone once used by the Soviet Union, into a high-end tourism destination.
The project is being developed by Atlantic Incubation Partners, a company backed by Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The company acquired the island in January 2025, shortly after Donald Trump was re-elected as US President.
Edi Rama, Albania’s Prime Minister, has said the project remains at an early planning stage and that no permits have yet been issued. He said the vision was to turn Albania into one of the most attractive high-end tourism destinations in the region, while delivering a net positive environmental outcome.
It remains unclear whether the resort will include casino gaming. Albania permits casino gambling, with most existing casino activity concentrated in Tirana, the capital and economic centre of the country. Grand Casino Tirana is among the country’s most prominent gaming venues, offering slot machines, live dealer table games and VIP gaming.
Albania has become one of Europe’s fastest-rising tourism destinations, helped by its Adriatic coastline, low-cost hospitality market and growing appeal to international visitors. The country welcomed more than 12 million tourists in 2025.
Since exiting the casino industry in 2016, the Trump Organization has focused on international luxury hotel, residential and commercial projects, including developments in the Middle East, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Qatar, Oman and Georgia.
The key question is whether casino gaming will be considered as part of the Sazan Island resort mix, particularly as emerging tourism markets look to capture premium international demand through integrated hospitality, entertainment and leisure developments.
