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The Anjouan licence is the cheapest of the popular offshore options: per the official fee table, €17,828 to issue and €17,828 for each yearly renewal, with review taking about 6 weeks. It has an official restricted country list of nine states, including the UK, Germany and the US. The main 2026 risk: on 08.12.2025 the Central Bank of the Comoros said it does not recognise the Anjouan regulator and that no online gambling licences have been issued in the country. For banks and payment providers that is a direct compliance question.
The regulator and the status dispute
Anjouan issues licences, while the central Comoros authorities do not recognise them. No court has ruled on it.
- Issuer: the Anjouan Offshore Financial Authority (AOFA) with the Anjouan Gaming Board as supervisory board. A new official site and register have run since March 2026.
- Law: per the regulator, the Computer Gaming Licensing Act 2005 plus 2005 laws on offshore finance, companies and AML. The gaming law text is not published on the official sites.
- Anjouan's position: its powers derive from the 2001 Constitution of the Union of the Comoros, and a 2024 legal opinion updated in February 2026 confirms legality. The opinion itself is not published.
- The Comoros central bank position (08.12.2025): AOFA is not recognised in the Union of the Comoros and may not issue licences, no online betting or gambling licences have been issued, and the bank warns against business with companies under such licences.
- October 2026: industry media report that the Comoros government asked the UK for help and is preparing legal action. We found no official text of the statement.
Licence types and official fees
B2C and B2B cost the same; renewal is yearly and not automatic.
- B2C Operator Licence for player-facing operators: online casino, sports betting, poker, bingo, prediction markets and crypto operations.
- B2B Service Provider Licence for suppliers of platforms, games and technical services to licensees. A B2C licence does not allow supplying a platform to other operators.
- Recognition Letter: recognition of a supplier licensed in another jurisdiction.
| Fee | B2C | B2B | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licence issuance | €17,828 | €17,828 | once |
| Annual renewal | €17,828 | €17,828 | every year before the renewal date |
| Extra domain | €500 | each, per licence cycle |
Source: the Fees page on the official Anjouan Gaming site, updated 01.04.2026. The table lists no separate application or key person fee, and fees are non-refundable. Figures such as €15,000 for renewal or €2,000 per key person do not match the official table, and intermediary packages are not regulator fees.
Requirements for the operator
- Company: per the October 2026 document, an Anjouan entity or one from another accepted jurisdiction. An older AOFA page (2023) says licences are for Anjouan companies only, with nominee directors allowed. Confirm with the regulator when applying.
- People: a key person, a compliance officer and an MLRO with a deputy, all reporting to AOFA. Checks go up to the ultimate beneficial owners: ID, address, criminal record certificate, CV, source of funds, sanctions and PEP status.
- Ownership changes of 10% or more: notify AOFA 10 working days ahead. Since September 2026 nominees, trusts and arrangements below the threshold must be disclosed too.
- Player KYC (conditions v5 of 13.10.2026): identity, age and address at the first of: €3,000 in deposits, the first withdrawal, or suspicious activity. Suspicious activity reports within 24 hours, large transaction reports from $10,000 weekly, records kept 5 years.
- Responsible gambling: self-exclusion within 1 working day, plus deposit, loss and time limits. Complaints: acknowledgement in 72 hours, resolution in 30 days, then ADR at the operator's cost.
- Technical: games are tested by approved labs to GLI-19 and GLI-33, and the server can be anywhere unless the licence says otherwise. Only approved domains, with the regulator seal in every page footer. Platform and game suppliers need an Anjouan B2B licence or recognition.
Review time: about 6 weeks after a complete file and payment. This is the regulator's estimate, not a guarantee, and there is no fast track.
Restricted countries: the official list
The list from licence conditions v5 (October 2026); it is not exhaustive.
Plus sanctioned countries, FATF call-for-action jurisdictions and any others AOFA designates. A working IP geo-block with bypass controls is mandatory. The regulator says plainly that a country missing from the list does not make play there legal. Ukraine is not named, but Ukrainian players require a PlayCity licence, and PlayCity lists an Anjouan licence as a sign of an illegal site.
How to verify an Anjouan licence
- The regulator's search (Verify a Licence on anjouangaming.com): by licence number, company or domain, showing the type and status. Only Active status allows operating.
- The licence register with issue and expiry dates and a domain list: the site's domain must be among the approved ones.
- Seal and QR: the footer seal leads to the verification page, as does the QR on the certificate. Never accept a certificate copy without checking the register.
- What the register shows (our count on 24.10.2026): 1,278 entries, 515 issued in 2026, and 92 past their expiry date yet still shown as valid. On 14.07.2026 the regulator reported over 1,650 licences issued, about 1,500 active.
What an Anjouan licence does not give
- Recognition by the central Comoros authorities. The central bank statement of 08.12.2025 explicitly warns against dealing with companies under these licences, and banks and PSPs see it.
- Payment access. The regulator states that the licence is not an endorsement of any payment service; the operator assesses providers itself.
- The right to operate in regulated markets or in the excluded countries.
- A free choice of suppliers: platform and games only from suppliers with an Anjouan B2B licence or recognition.
Anjouan or Curacao
| Anjouan | Curacao | |
|---|---|---|
| Year one, fees | €17,828 | €4,592 + €47,450 pro rata |
| Each following year | €17,828 | €47,450 (B2C) |
| Term | one year, renewal not automatic | no expiry |
| Review | about 6 weeks | 2 phases of 8 weeks |
| On-island presence | not required | a resident director, plus a key person and office from 01.04.2027 |
| Server | anywhere | critical records on Curacao |
| Restricted countries | an official list of 9 plus rules | no official list |
| Main 2026 risk | non-recognition by the Comoros central bank | the CGA data breach and portal shutdown |
More on Curacao in the Curacao licence, and a comparison with Malta and Kahnawake plus the full launch budget in how to start an online casino.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an Anjouan licence cost?
Per the official fee table, €17,828 to issue and €17,828 for each yearly renewal, the same for B2C and B2B. Each extra B2C domain is €500 per licence cycle.
Which countries are restricted under an Anjouan licence?
Australia, Austria, the Comoros, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, the UK and the US, plus sanctioned countries, FATF call-for-action jurisdictions and any AOFA designates. The list is not exhaustive.
Is the Anjouan licence legal?
The positions differ. Anjouan cites the 2001 Comoros Constitution and 2005 laws, while the Comoros central bank said on 08.12.2025 that AOFA is not recognised and no online gambling licences have been issued. No court has ruled.
How long does an Anjouan licence take?
About 6 weeks after a complete file and payment. This is the regulator's estimate, with no fast track.
How do you check a casino's Anjouan licence?
Look up the number, company or domain in Verify a Licence on the regulator's site, check the Active status and that the site domain is among the approved ones. The footer seal should lead to the same check.
Which is cheaper in 2026: Anjouan or Curacao?
By regulator fees, Anjouan: €17,828 a year versus €47,450 for Curacao. But Curacao has no expiry, while Anjouan faces a recognition dispute with the central Comoros authorities that affects banking and payments.
The bottom line: Anjouan is the cheapest and fastest entry by fees, but in 2026 its key question is recognition, not price. Before applying, check whether your banks, PSPs and game suppliers accept the licence, and plan a geo-block based on the official country list.
Next breakdownCuracao gaming licence 2026: cost, requirements and how to verifyThe Curacao licence under the LOK law: a €4,592 application, €47,450 a year for B2C, timing, CGA requirements, restricted countries and how to verify a licence. Regulator fees as of October 2026.Read
