Anjouan - our licence ≠ global permission

[Valge]

Anjouan regulator made a statement on June 10th that its licence does not grant the right to operate in all markets without restrictions.

The Gaming Regulatory Authority of the Autonomous Island of Anjouan (AGA) has issued a clarification that the jurisdiction's online licences are not a universal permission to operate worldwide. The statement was published amid discussions about the role of offshore licences in the international iGaming segment.

The AGA emphasised that the licence operates within the framework of Anjouan island legislation and does not exempt operators from complying with the requirements of other states.

According to the regulator, licensees are required to undergo anti-money laundering checks, customer identification procedures (KYC), comply with responsible gambling standards and meet technical platform requirements.

Operators must also handle user complaints and have their websites approved by the regulator. In the event of violations, the licence may be suspended or revoked.

Just for context, the statement was published on the same day as an article by the CEO of Flutter International, a division of Flutter Entertainment. He warned about the growth of the unregulated iGaming segment ahead of the upcoming FIFA World Cup.

This isn't new information exactly, but having the regulator itself say it publicly is unusual. It's a rare moment of transparency from an offshore licensing body.

Furthermore, according to the head of Flutter International, UN data suggests that the volume of bets placed on illegal platforms during the tournament could exceed the total figures of the entire global regulated market.

Source: igamingtoday.com/anjouan-regulator-denies-global-reach-of-licences and focusgn.com/anjouan-gambling-regulator-rejects-international-criticism-of-licensing-regime

 

[Webzcas]

Thanks for this news

 

[maxd]

Here’s a slightly different spin on the story from earlier in the year. If true, it would seem to me that the Anjouan licensing guys are still claiming to be legit because they say they are legit:

Summary: all the organisations that the pro-Anjouan guys are making reference to are apparently disavowed by Comoros, the government seat with authority over Anjouan.

Source:

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Comoros.- Authorities in Comoros have issued warnings about companies selling gambling and financial licences in the name of Anjouan, an island in the Union of the Comoros. They say these licences lack any legal basis, as the entities issuing them operate without official recognition.

Officials point to the Anjouan Offshore Finance Authority (AOFA) as the main entity behind the operation. The regulatory body was set up in the 1990s during a time of political separation on the island. However, after Anjouan rejoined the Comoros, national banking laws passed in 2013 and 2015 ended AOFA’s authority. Despite this, AOFA maintains an online registry of licensed companies, covering banks, insurers and gambling operators.

Linked to AOFA are firms like Anjouan Corporate Services and Anjouan Licensing Services. The former acts as AOFA’s agent, while the latter, launched in 2023, handles gambling licences via the Anjouan Gaming Control Board. It claims to have issued more than 1,300 such licences, each costing around €17,000 per year. Another firm tied to the licensing network is Fast Offshore, a Costa Rica-based consultancy firm which promotes Anjouan as an affordable option for gambling operators.

These licences are reportedly sold online, often with promises of fast approval and no taxes. Operators pay fees and submit forms digitally, receiving documents that look official but rely on outdated laws from 2005. The process skips real checks, allowing sites to claim regulation without it.

The Comoros Central Bank has repeatedly stated that AOFA and related entities have “no physical or legal existence” in the country. Officials caution that the groups put consumers at risk and undermine regulatory checks.

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