The Anjouan Gaming License Explained: Cost, Timeline & Restrictions

The Anjouan gaming license has become one of the fastest and most affordable routes to market for new online casino and sportsbook operators, with a single licence covering both verticals, crypto-friendly rules, and issuance in roughly 6-8 weeks. This guide breaks down what the licence is, who issues it, what it really costs, which countries it restricts, and how it compares to Curacao.

This article is general information for operators evaluating jurisdictions. It is not legal advice. Licensing rules, fees, and restricted-market lists change, so confirm the current position with a qualified gaming lawyer or licensing consultant before you commit.

What is the Anjouan gaming license?

The Anjouan gaming license is an online gambling authorisation issued from Anjouan, one of the islands that make up the Union of the Comoros, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean. It is granted through the island's offshore gaming authority, which oversees remote gambling operators licensed under the jurisdiction.

Unlike some legacy offshore regimes that split casino, sportsbook, and lottery into separate sub-licences, one Anjouan licence covers multiple product types. In practice that means a single approval can authorise online casino, live casino, sportsbook, poker, and similar remote gaming verticals under one certificate.

Who issues it and who it suits

The licence is administered by the Anjouan offshore financial and gaming authority. It tends to suit startups, crypto-first brands, and operators who want to test a concept or reach a global player base quickly without the capital and multi-month lead time of a Tier-1 European regime such as Malta or the Isle of Man.

Why the Anjouan gaming license became popular

Demand for the Anjouan gaming license grew sharply as operators looked for a low-friction alternative to more expensive jurisdictions. Four factors drive that interest:

• Speed. Applications are typically processed in around 6-8 weeks, far quicker than the multi-month timelines common in regulated European markets.
• Cost. Total first-year outlay is a fraction of what Malta or a reformed Curacao licence now demands.
• Crypto-friendly. The regime is generally accommodating of cryptocurrency deposits and payouts, which matters for brands built around digital assets.
• One licence, two verticals. Casino and sportsbook sit under a single authorisation, cutting duplicate paperwork and fees.

What the Anjouan gaming license costs

Cost transparency is where many licensing guides stay vague. Here are representative figures operators should budget for. Treat them as planning estimates, not quotes: providers price packages differently and fees are periodically revised.

An operator therefore pairs the licence with an offshore company that holds it. Two of the most common structures are a Belize company at roughly EUR 3,500 or a Costa Rica company at roughly EUR 4,000. Adding the company setup to the annual licence puts a realistic first-year total in the region of EUR 23,500-26,000 before platform, payments, and content costs.

These are the direct regulatory and incorporation line items. They do not include your aggregator or platform fees, payment processing costs, hosting, or compliance staffing, all of which vary by scale.

Timeline: how fast can you launch?

The licence itself usually issues within about 6-8 weeks of a complete application, assuming due-diligence documents (passports, proof of address, source-of-funds, corporate paperwork) are in order. Incomplete files are the most common cause of delay, so preparing know-your-customer documentation early is the single biggest lever on your timeline.

Restricted countries under the Anjouan gaming license

An Anjouan licence does not authorise you to accept players everywhere. Several major markets are restricted, and operators are expected to block them. Restricted countries typically include:

• United States
• United Kingdom
• France
• Australia
• Germany
• Netherlands
• Spain
• Austria

In addition, all countries on the FATF blacklist are off-limits. Importantly, the licence does not geo-block traffic for you. In practice, operators must manage geo-restrictions themselves, configuring their platform and payments stack to prevent registrations and deposits from restricted territories. Getting this wrong is a compliance and payment-processing risk, not a technicality, so confirm your exact blocked-country list with a professional before you go live.

Anjouan vs Curacao: how they compare

For years Curacao was the default budget jurisdiction. That changed in 2024 when Curacao reformed its regime under the new Curacao Gaming Authority (CGA) and the Landsverordening op de Kansspelen (LOK) framework, replacing the old master/sub-licence model with direct licensing, more scrutiny, and higher costs. The table below sets the two side by side.

The trade-off is straightforward: Anjouan is cheaper and faster with lighter scrutiny, while reformed Curacao offers stronger long-term credibility at higher cost and a longer runway. The right choice depends on your budget, target markets, and payment-partner requirements.

How operators pair a licence with an aggregator

A licence gives you permission to operate; it does not give you games. The other half of a fast launch is content. This is where operators pair their Anjouan licence with a casino game aggregator to get a full lobby live in days rather than months.

Instead of negotiating and integrating with each game studio one by one, an aggregator delivers 150+ studios and 14,000+ certified games through one API integration. Alongside the content it provides a unified wallet, cross-provider bonuses, consolidated reporting, and a payments layer spanning 300+ PSPs and 50+ crypto options, which also helps you enforce the geo-restrictions your licence requires. RTPs are set and certified by the individual game providers.

The combination is what makes the jurisdiction attractive: an Anjouan licence issued in weeks, plus an aggregator that turns on certified content and payments in days, gets a new brand from concept to live lobby fast.

Key takeaways

• The Anjouan gaming license is a single authorisation covering casino and sportsbook, issued from the Comoros.
• Budget roughly EUR 20,000-22,000 a year for the licence, plus EUR 3,500-4,000 for a Belize or Costa Rica company.
• Expect a 6-8 week timeline with a complete application.
• You must self-manage geo-restrictions for the US, UK, France, Australia, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Austria, and all FATF-blacklisted countries.
• Curacao's 2024 reform raised its cost and scrutiny, widening the gap with Anjouan on speed and price.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Verify current fees, restricted markets, and application requirements with a qualified professional before applying.

Launch faster with IOP Global

Once your licence is in motion, content and payments are what get you to market. IOP Global connects your operation to 150+ studios and 14,000+ games through one integration, with a unified wallet, cross-provider bonuses, and a payments layer built for global reach. See the markets we cover, or contact our team to map a launch plan around your licence.

How much does an Anjouan gaming license cost?

Budget roughly EUR 20,000-22,000 per year for the licence itself, plus around EUR 3,500 for a Belize company or EUR 4,000 for a Costa Rica company to hold it. A realistic first-year total is around EUR 23,500-26,000 before platform, payments, and content costs. These are planning estimates, not quotes.

How long does it take to get an Anjouan gaming license?

Issuance typically takes about 6-8 weeks from a complete application. The most common cause of delay is incomplete due-diligence documentation, so preparing KYC and corporate paperwork early keeps the timeline short.

Which countries are restricted under an Anjouan license?

Restricted markets typically include the United States, United Kingdom, France, Australia, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, and Austria, plus all FATF-blacklisted countries. The licence does not block them automatically; operators must configure geo-restrictions themselves.

Does one Anjouan license cover both casino and sportsbook?

Yes. A single Anjouan licence can authorise multiple verticals, including online casino, live casino, and sportsbook, under one certificate, which is part of why it appeals to new operators.

Is Anjouan better than Curacao?

It depends on your priorities. Anjouan is cheaper, faster, and lighter-touch, while Curacao, reformed in 2024 under the CGA and LOK, offers stronger long-term credibility at higher cost and a longer timeline. Confirm which fits your target markets and payment partners with a professional.