Anjouan gambling regulator responds to global criticism of licensing regime
The regulator has rejected claims that Anjouan gambling licences are intended for global use.
Union of the Comoros.- Anjouan Gaming, the Indian Ocean Island’s gambling regulator, has issued a statement responding to controversy around its licensing regime. In a statement published on LinkedIn, it addressed what it described as “public commentary” on its regulatory framework.
The regulator denied that the licences it issues to gambling companies are intended for global use and recognised that they cannot override other countries’ own regulatory requirements. Anjouan, which is an autonomous island in the Union of the Comoros, has an estimated population of 360,000 to 380,000 people.
“An Anjouan Internet Gaming Licence is not, and has never been presented as, a universal authorisation to operate in every country in the world. No licensing authority can exempt an operator from local law in jurisdictions where local authorisation is required,” the statement reads.
While the post does not cite specific examples of the public commentary it refers to, Anjouan has frequently been referenced in discussions about black market, grey market and offshore gambling, including by international regulators and major gambling businesses operating in licensed markets, some whom have raised concerns that an Anjouan licence is presented with a veneer of universality.
The regulator defended its processes, citing requirements around due diligence and AML and KYC checks as well as technical standards and requirements regarding responsible gambling and complaint handling. Applicants must undergo corporate reviews, key person assessments and financial vetting, it said, stressing that they are also screened against sanctions lists, PEP databases, and adverse media. Licences are denied if concerns arise, it said.
It added: “Constructive criticism and comparative analysis between licensing jurisdictions are welcome. Different operators will have different regulatory needs depending on their business model, markets, risk profile, payment relationships, suppliers, and long-term strategy.
“What is not helpful to the industry is commentary that conflates offshore licensing with local market authorization, treats operator misconduct as proof against an entire framework, or makes broad allegations without reference to the applicable legal framework, licence conditions, public register, verification tools, or compliance obligations.
“Anjouan Gaming remains committed to the development of a practical, transparent, and commercially accessible internet gaming licensing framework, while making clear that licensees remain responsible for lawful conduct in their chosen markets.”
With many European gambling regulators seeking to step up action against unlicensed gambling, Anjouan is a jurisdiction that has been coming up often. Anjouan Gaming’s public register lists more than 1,300 licences. Many holders operate internationally, and run multiple domains, including in jurisdictions that have their own licensing regimes, such as the UK. Several sites promoting themselves as ‘non-Gamstop’ casinos, referencing the UK’s self-exclusion system, are operated under Anjouan Gaming licences.
Some of the accusations levelled at Anjouan mirror those made about jurisdictions, such as Curaçao in the Caribbean. Its framework has also been contentious among European gambling regulators.
Malta’s situation is different due to its position in the European Union. It has argued in European courts that Malta-issued licences do entitled gambling operators to provide services to customers in other European countries because of the the bloc’s rules on economic freedoms, although Malta’s Bill 55 has received negative opinions from the Court of Justice of the European Union.
