The autonomous island of Anjouan, part of the Union of the Comoros, has become a go-to licensing hub for web3 casinos. Its single comprehensive licence covers online casino, sportsbook, live casino, poker, lotteries, virtual games, and both operator and supplier activity — all for roughly €17,000. That's cheaper and faster than Curacao or Malta. But the licence leaves out key player safeguards found in Tier-1 regimes.
A two-tier regulatory system
Anjouan's legal foundation rests on the Computer Gaming Licensing Act of 2005 and anti-money laundering legislation from the same year. Supervision is split: the Anjouan Betting and Gaming Board handles gaming oversight, while the Anjouan Offshore Finance Authority provides financial supervision, fit-and-proper assessment, and AML compliance. This dual structure aims to cover both operational and financial integrity.
What the licence covers — and what it doesn't
The licence includes anti-money laundering obligations, responsible gaming requirements, fit-and-proper checks on owners and directors, technical certification, and suspension or revocation powers. That gives players a named legal entity, published terms, and some regulatory teeth. But the licence does not cover authorisation to target locally regulated markets, membership of national self-exclusion schemes, deposit protection, an independent disputes body, or player recourse comparable to Tier-1 regimes. In short, it's a baseline, not a guarantee of good behavior.
Recent changes and excluded territories
In 2025 and 2026, Anjouan introduced recognition certificates for B2B suppliers and strengthened AML and identity-check requirements. Excluded territories include the US, UK, France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Australia, Austria, the Comoros Islands themselves, and any jurisdiction on the FATF blacklist. An Anjouan licence supports an offshore operating structure but does not authorize player acquisition in countries that require their own local licence.
What players should know
For players, an Anjouan licence indicates a named legal entity, published terms, and authority to suspend or revoke a licence. It also means the operator has AML and responsible gaming obligations. But it is not a guarantee of good behavior. Regulation is one of several checks players should make, alongside reviewing published terms, withdrawal policies, and code audits for Web3 platforms. The next step for anyone considering an Anjouan-licensed casino is to read the fine print — and look beyond the licence itself.
