Anjouan Licence for Online Casinos: Review of the Offshore Jurisdiction

What Is the Anjouan Licence and Who Issues It

Anjouan is an autonomous island within the Union of the Comoros, a nation off the eastern coast of Africa. The licence to operate online gambling is issued by the Anjouan Offshore Finance Authority, the regulator responsible for offshore financial and gaming services on the island. Licensing is conducted under the local Computer Gaming Licensing Act, with a single licence allowing the operator to simultaneously function as a casino, bookmaker, and poker room.

From the online casino ratings on our site, Cactus and LuckMore operate under an Anjouan licence. Mellstroy Casino, at the time of writing, has no public information about its licence on its website, and the data are inconsistent. The remaining casinos in the ratings use a Curaçao licence, which remains the most widespread offshore jurisdiction for operators accessible to Ukrainian players.

No casino with an Anjouan licence is listed in the PlayCity licensee register and has no right to operate legally in Ukraine. The State Agency PlayCity blocks illegal sites—according to the agency's head, by July of this year over nine and a half thousand illegal domains and mirrors had been blocked. Anjouan casinos fall under these measures alongside other offshore operators.

How Licensing Works in Anjouan

The process of obtaining an Anjouan licence is considered one of the simplest and fastest in the online gambling industry. The operator submits an application to the Anjouan Offshore Finance Authority, the regulator reviews the company's documents, and then issues a licence with a unique number. The entire process takes relatively little time, capital requirements are softer compared to European jurisdictions, and taxes are absent or minimal.

The licence is issued for one year and requires renewal. Licence validity can be verified on the regulator's official website or through a validator, a link to which is usually placed in the footer of the casino site. The licence number follows the ALSI format with additional digits, and the legal entity holding the licence must match the registry data. If licence information is absent from the casino site or cannot be verified, this is a serious warning sign.

What to Look Out for During Verification

• Licence details in the casino site footer—number, legal entity name, link to validator or register.
• Match between the company name on the licence and the domain owner on which the casino operates.
• Ability to verify the licence on the regulator's site—if the register is not public or data do not match, this is a warning sign.
• Issue date and licence validity period—an expired licence means the casino is operating illegally even from the offshore regulator's perspective.

Players from Ukraine must remember: even a valid Anjouan licence does not make a casino legal on Ukrainian territory and does not grant the right to protection from the Ukrainian regulator.

Differences from the Curaçao Licence

The Curaçao licence and the Anjouan licence are two offshore jurisdictions, but their regulatory approaches differ. Since the start of the year, Curaçao has operated under the new regulator Curaçao Gaming Authority, which introduced updated LOK legislation and issues B2C licences directly to operators. The Curaçao licence is considered more authoritative in the industry, and the licensee register is open and accessible for verification on the regulator's site.

Anjouan has a reputation as one of the softest and cheapest offshore jurisdictions. Requirements for operators are less stringent, the licensing process is faster, and costs are lower. A single Anjouan licence allows simultaneous sports betting and casino operations, whereas in Curaçao this requires separate permits or an expanded licence. At the same time, Anjouan's reputational risks are higher—there is an industry perception of less rigorous oversight and greater vulnerability to unscrupulous operators.

For players from Ukraine, both licences mean the same thing: the casino has no PlayCity authorisation, its activities on Ukrainian territory are illegal, and you are deprived of legal protection. The casino ratings on our site include operators from both jurisdictions, but none is legal in Ukraine.

Pros and Cons of the Anjouan Licence

Pros for the operator:

• Speed of obtaining the licence and relatively low costs.
• Soft capital and reporting requirements compared to European jurisdictions.
• One licence covers casino, sports betting, and poker.
• Absence or minimal taxes on operator income.

Cons and risks for the player:

• The Anjouan licence is not recognised in Ukraine, casinos are subject to blocking, and the player has no legal protection.
• The jurisdiction's reputation in the industry is lower compared to Curaçao or European regulators.
• Softer requirements for operators may mean less control over game fairness and player data protection.
• More difficult to contact the regulator for help in case of dispute—procedures are less transparent than in Curaçao or Malta.
• Payments via Ukrainian bank cards to offshore casinos may result in card blocking or bank refusal.

Payment Methods at Casinos with an Anjouan Licence

Casinos with an Anjouan licence accessible to players from Ukraine typically offer several account funding options. Most commonly these are transfers from Visa or Mastercard, monobank, Privat24, and occasionally cryptocurrency. Offshore operators often work through peer-to-peer transfers to cards of individuals or intermediaries, as direct payment gateways for illegal sites are unavailable.

Payment risks at illegal casinos for players from Ukraine:

• The bank may block the card or decline the transaction if it recognises the transfer as payment to an unlicensed gambling operator.
• Since last October, the NBU has limited peer-to-peer transfers between individuals to one hundred and fifty thousand hryvnias per month, more requires proof of income.
• In case of dispute over non-return of funds or blocked winnings, it is impossible to seek help from the Ukrainian regulator—PlayCity does not control offshore operators.
• Tax on winnings must be declared by the player independently, as the offshore casino is not a tax agent in Ukraine; details are on the State Tax Service website.

Specific payment methods, limits, fees, and crediting times are set by each casino individually—check the terms in the cashier before making a deposit.

Typical Player Problems at Anjouan Casinos

Casinos with an Anjouan licence operate outside Ukrainian legal territory, and this creates a number of problems for players. The most common are withdrawal delays—the operator may demand additional verification documents, limit the withdrawal amount per transaction, or refuse payout altogether, citing bonus rule violations or terms of use.

Another problem is site access. PlayCity actively blocks illegal casinos. This increases data security risks and violates the terms of most casinos, which prohibit VPN use. If the casino detects that you accessed via VPN, it may block the account and confiscate funds.

The third problem is lack of protection. There is nowhere to complain about unfair behaviour by Anjouan casinos in Ukraine—PlayCity does not consider complaints about offshore operators, and appeals to the regulator in the Comoros rarely yield results. The player is left alone with the operator, and if the casino decides not to pay, recovering funds will be virtually impossible.

Comparison with Other Licences

If we compare the Anjouan licence with other options available to players from Ukraine, the picture looks as follows. The Ukrainian PlayCity licence is the only legal one, but casinos with it operate exclusively in hryvnias, through bank accounts, and the game selection is limited compared to offshore sites. In return, you receive legal protection, transparent payout rules, the ability to complain to the regulator, and a guarantee that tax will be withheld automatically.

The Curaçao licence is the most widespread among offshore casinos in our ratings. It is more authoritative than Anjouan, regulator CGA maintains a public register, and appeal procedures are more transparent. But for players from Ukraine, Curaçao is just as illegal as Anjouan, blocking and risks are the same.

The Malta licence (Malta Gaming Authority) is one of the strictest in the world, casinos with it have high standards of player protection and transparency. But Malta operators rarely accept players from Ukraine due to regulatory restrictions, and those that do remain illegal on Ukrainian territory.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Casinos with an Anjouan Licence Legal in Ukraine?

No. No casino with an Anjouan licence holds authorisation from the State Agency PlayCity and is not listed in the licensee register. Such sites are considered illegal on Ukrainian territory, are subject to blocking, and the player is deprived of legal protection from the Ukrainian regulator. Only operators with a PlayCity licence can operate legally in Ukraine.

Which Casinos from the Ratings Operate under an Anjouan Licence?

From our ratings, Cactus and LuckMore operate under an Anjouan licence. Mellstroy Casino, at the time of writing, has no public information about its licence on its website. The remaining casinos in the ratings use a Curaçao licence. None of these casinos holds PlayCity authorisation and is not legal in Ukraine.

How Does the Anjouan Licence Differ from the Curaçao Licence?

The Anjouan licence is considered softer and cheaper—requirements for operators are lower, the process is faster, and one licence covers both casino and betting simultaneously. Curaçao has a higher reputation in the industry, the new regulator CGA maintains a public register and stricter control. For players from Ukraine, both jurisdictions mean illegal casino status, absence of protection from PlayCity, and risk of site blocking.

How to Verify the Validity of an Anjouan Licence?

Find the licence details in the casino site footer—number, legal entity name, link to validator or regulator register. Follow the link and ensure the data match. Check that the company name on the licence corresponds to the casino domain owner. If licence information is absent or cannot be verified, this is a serious risk, and it is better to stay away from such a casino.

Can I Complain to the Anjouan Regulator About a Casino?

Formally yes, but in practice the result is unlikely. The Anjouan regulator does not have a reputation for active defence of player interests, and appeal procedures are less transparent than in European jurisdictions. For players from Ukraine, this is a double problem: Ukrainian authorities do not consider complaints about offshore operators, and appeals to the Comoros rarely have effect. The best way to avoid problems is to play only at legal casinos with a PlayCity licence or not play at all.

Gambling is entertainment for adults, from 21 years of age. If gambling becomes a problem, use the self-exclusion register on the PlayCity site—applications are submitted with a qualified electronic signature or in person, valid from six months to three years, and cannot be withdrawn early. Gamble responsibly.