Comoros seeks UK help over disputed Anjouan gambling licences

The government of Comoros is seeking British assistance over an offshore licensing network operating in Anjouan’s name, escalating a dispute over the authority behind gambling licences held by nearly 1,500 businesses.

According to reporting published on 19 October, Comorian authorities are pursuing international police and financial-intelligence cooperation while preparing legal action. The dispute challenges the credentials presented by a growing offshore gambling jurisdiction.

What has Comoros actually said?

Anjouan is one of the islands making up the Union of Comoros. Businesses selling offshore licences claim authority through institutions including the Anjouan Offshore Finance Authority.

However, a central bank warning republished by the finance ministry in December 2025 named that authority and Anjouan Corporate Services among “structures fictives”, meaning “fictitious structures”.

The notice concerned purported banking and financial authorisations. It said the central bank alone could authorise banks and financial institutions operating in Comoros, and that prosecutors had already been contacted.

That distinction matters: the warning should not be presented as a new court judgment automatically cancelling every Anjouan gambling licence.

How does the gambling regime defend itself?

The current licensing operation points to the Computer Gaming Licensing Act of 2005 as its legal foundation.  Anjouan Licensing Services began issuing gambling licences in 2023, according to published reporting.

In an earlier public response to criticism, Anjouan Gaming maintained that its framework remained lawful and cited independent legal analysis supporting that position.

It also acknowledged that offshore authorisation does not override the laws of markets targeted by operators. The competing claims leave the regime’s domestic legal standing contested; a definitive conclusion requires more than either side’s public assertions.

“So why spend £80,000 on a Curaçao licence when you can spend £20,000 on an Anjouan one?” — An unnamed industry source speaking at iGB Live in London

What does this mean for British players?

For consumers in England, Scotland and Wales, the licensing requirement is clear regardless of how the Comorian dispute develops.

The Gambling Commission states: “You must have a licence to serve British consumers.” That requirement applies to businesses based overseas. An Anjouan certificate therefore cannot substitute for Commission authorisation.

Published investigations have identified Anjouan-licensed casinos promoted as alternatives to GamStop. However, the headline register total does not establish how many licensees actively target Britain, individual European countries or South Africa.

For British customers, the practical check is the Commission’s public register, which lists authorised businesses and their declared domains. A foreign licensing badge alone does not establish permission to accept their bets.