A promotional text that reaches the wrong person at the wrong hour can do more damage than a missed sale. In the UAE, direct marketing by SMS, phone and email sits under a mix of telecom, consumer protection and data protection rules, and enforcement has tightened. Knowing where each rule applies is now a basic part of campaign planning.
Which Rules Apply to Which Channel
Phone and SMS marketing fall mainly under the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA). Its Unsolicited Electronic Communications Regulatory Policy governs marketing texts, while Cabinet Resolution No. 56 of 2024 sets the rules for marketing calls and created the national Do Not Call Registry (DNCR).
Email is less centralised. It is shaped by the federal Personal Data Protection Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021) and the Consumer Protection Law (Federal Law No. 15 of 2020). For a practical overview of how these pieces fit together, this guide to SMS marketing rules in the UAE is a useful reference.
The telemarketing rules apply to licensed companies across the country, free zones included. Messages sent from abroad to UAE numbers can also be in scope, because the recipient is here.
Consent and Sender Identity for SMS
Consent is the foundation of SMS marketing. Under the TDRA policy, a marketing text should not be delivered unless the recipient has agreed to receive it and has not asked to block it. Consent can take any form that can be stored and produced on request.
Records should capture the date, time, wording used and the person’s identity. Operators must keep these records for two years after the last message, so brands should expect to supply that evidence.
Promotional texts must also carry a sender name beginning with the code “AD-“, followed by the brand name. Sender IDs are registered through licensed operators, so finish this before fixing a launch date.
Timing, Opt-Outs and the Do Not Call Registry
Marketing texts may not be sent between 9:00 pm and 7:00 am. Every promotional message must include a free way to opt out, and the message itself must not be used to discourage someone from unsubscribing.
Calls follow stricter limits. Under Resolution No. 56, marketing calls are allowed only between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm, may not go to numbers on the DNCR, and may not be repeated once a consumer has turned the offer down. Calls must also come from numbers registered to the company’s trade license, not from personal phones.
A sensible routine covers three habits:
- Screen phone lists against the registry and your own block list before every send, and log the date of each check.
- Remove anyone who opts out promptly, across every channel.
- Keep service messages separate: adding a discount to a delivery update turns it into marketing.
Email Marketing and Data Protection
No national registry exists for email, but the same principles hold. The data protection law generally requires consent to process personal data, and individuals can ask for their data to be corrected or for processing to stop. The consumer protection law separately protects shoppers from having their data used for promotion without permission.
In practice, that means a clear opt-in, an honest sender name, accurate subject lines and a working unsubscribe link in every email. Double opt-in is good practice because it leaves a time-stamped record.
Enforcement and Penalties
The TDRA oversees telecom channels, while consumer protection authorities handle misleading promotions. Cabinet Resolution No. 57 of 2024 sets the penalties for telemarketing breaches, with company fines for calling registered numbers rising to AED 150,000 for repeat violations. Suspension of telemarketing activity or license cancellation are also possible.
Commercial fallout can hurt as much as a fine. An operator that blocks a sender ID can stop a seasonal campaign overnight. A dated consent log is the best defence when a complaint arrives.
Building Compliance Into Your Setup
Compliance starts with the license itself. A company that sends campaigns for clients, or runs a call centre, needs a license activity that matches that work, such as direct marketing or telephone marketing. Companies licensed in Meydan Free Zone and other free zones are covered by the same federal telemarketing rules as mainland firms.
The businesses that avoid trouble build consent-based lists from day one and keep dated records. Requirements change, so confirm the current position with the TDRA and your SMS provider before each new campaign.