The Anjouan gambling license might be fairly obscure for most people. It is very possible that you have not even heard of Anjouan before in your life. Pointing out the small island on a map, is for most people not doable.
However for gambling companies the island of Anjouan has made itself very popular over the years. Attracting many companies that apply for an Anjouan gambling license. But what is a Anjuan gambling license and why is it so sought after? And are there any risks associated with playing at a casino with an Anjouan gambling license? Read below to find the answers to all these questions!
What is the Anjouan gambling license?
The Anjouan gambling license is in its core the same as any other gambling license. When received the Anjouan gambling license provides the gambling operator with means to provide their services to any jurisdiction that recognizes this license as valid.
This gaming license has its perks for the gambling companies that want to achieve one. Summarized these parties choose the Anjuan gaming license because:
- It is cheap to obtain
- It is fast to obtain
- It is easy to obtain
Low cost, high reward
The Low cost of achieving an Anjouan gaming license is for a lot of parties a key reason to apply for this license. With a cost of 17.000 Euros for the application it is well worth the investment. This fee is even significantly lower than that of countries as Curacao and Malta. With the Curacaoan application costing around 55.000 Euros and the Malta application having a starting price of around 25.000 Euros.
In comparison to other jurisdictions like Sweden and the Netherlands, the price for the Anjouan gambling license pales in comparison. The following application fees apply for these countries:
- Netherlands; 48.000 Euros non-refundable
- Sweden: 38.500 Euros
This is even without the additional fees and taxes that apply. The Curacao application fee does seem relatively high, however gambling companies there are barely taxed. For example in the Netherlands the taxation as of 2025 is 34.2% over the revenue, where in Anjouan it is simply zero.
Faster than you can say BINGO
The Anjouan gambling license procedure is well known for the speed with which it can be achieved. License can be obtained within two to four weeks, which is incredibly fast. Even Curacao and Malta can’t garantee such swiftness.
Easily obtainable
The last pillar of the Anjouan gambling license is that it is very easily obtainable. There are KYC procedures to follow, however these are not as thorough as you might consider. This is of course no surprise as two to four weeks for the application is nothing in terms of KYC procedures. It might also not surprise you that a lot of smaller gambling companies apply for this license. Also incorporation of consumer protection is almost no requirement for obtaining this gambling license.
The associated risks of the Anjouan gaming license?
As the Anjouan gambling license is so easy to obtain there must be some points of concern to it. Well there are multiple points of concern, such as:
- Short and superficial background checks
- Almost no consumer protection guidelines
- Almost no gaming system checks
- Insinuating trust for consumers, which is non-existent
Background checks
As we mentioned earlier the whole application procedure can be done in four weeks. This means that there is almost no time for background checks. Of course you must provide information such as company details and possibly bank statements, however background checks of CEO’s or other employees with power in the organization are barely present. Meaning that a player cannot be sure that the online casino has their best interest at heart or even has no convicted felons at the head of the company. This incites a large trust issue between the player and the gambling company.
Absent regulatory frameworks for consumer protection & gaming systems
To be clear it is not that the regulation does not exist. The problem however is that what exists is very scarce or very multi-interpretable. Checks and balances is practically absent. Consumer protection for gambling companies with an Anjouan gambling license is not one of their main staples. Same goes for the checks of their system. As long as the games work and they make money it is OK, but when the systems fail and the player cannot pay-out it is the player their problem.
The same goes for addiction prevention measures which are barely if ever taken by these gambling companies. These measures take a lot of time and money to implement. So relying on companies that want the cheapest option for a gambling license to have this in order, is probably a bad idea. Marketing tactics will be aimed at emptying your bank account, making sure that you do not stop playing.
The false claim of trust
Most consumers that see a gambling company with a gambling license will think it is legit. They will not directly assume it is illegal. However for many companies this is the case. When a country/jurisdiction has its own gambling market, companies with a license from outside this jurisdiction are in almost any case deemed illegal.
However companies try to bypass these regulation by showing they do have a gambling license. On their website there will probably be a statement about their license status and how they can be trusted. This is simply not the case. Every time a gambling company tries to insinuate trust by using a gambling license from another country, it can probably not be trusted. They know it is illegal to operate in these countries but choose to do this anyway. If you live in a jurisdiction outside of Anjouan, it is the smart idea to avoid gambling companies with this license.
Anjouan gambling license: what to think?
It is cheap and easy to obtain, which makes it a liability for every gambler. Gambling companies which want to make money fast are the once attracted to such licenses.
In conclusion the Anjouan gambling license is popular for a reason. This does however not mean that you as a player should play at these casinos. There is no garantee that it is safe to play at the casinos nor if you will get your money back/be able to pay out. As a player you are best to avoid such companies and play at reputable gambling companies licensed within your jurisdiction.
Want to know more about gambling licenses in other jurisdictions? than read our blog about the Curacao gambling license, where we give you all the information about applying and the possible risks for consumers.
