Comoros authorities call Anjouan casino licensing illegal and prepare court action
The Guardian reported on 19 October 2026 that the Central Bank of the Comoros describes the Anjouan gaming licensing regime as illegal and is preparing court action. The report also says the Comoros government has asked the UK for help with financial intelligence and police cooperation.
Offshore casinos that accept South African players often point to a licence from a small foreign jurisdiction, and Anjouan is one of the names that appears. No South African operator holds a licence for online casino games under the National Gambling Act, so an offshore licence is never a local one. This report asks a harder question: whether some of these licences carry any real regulatory weight at all. It is one newspaper investigation and the claims it makes are disputed by people it names, but it is a good reason to treat any licence badge as a starting point for checking, not proof of safety.
What the report says
The Guardian published an investigation on 19 October 2026 into licences issued in the name of Anjouan, an island in the Union of Comoros. It says the public register lists nearly 1,500 gaming licence holders, many of them crypto casinos, and that some are accused of targeting vulnerable customers or refusing to pay out winnings.
The paper quotes a spokesperson for the Central Bank of the Comoros who said the licensing regime amounts to "illegal activities" by people using the country's name to look legitimate. The same spokesperson said the government is preparing judicial action locally.
The detail
- The Guardian says the body that presents itself as the licensing authority claims to have been set up under Comoros law, but the Comoros government told the paper that claim is false.
- It reports that applicants are told to apply through a company based in London, with a fee of about Ā£19,000. That company's representatives deny providing gaming licences and told the paper its account is untrue.
- The Comoros government told the paper that British citizens have been identified and that it has asked the UK government and law enforcement for help. The UK Treasury declined to comment.
- An analyst quoted in the report says a licence gives operators an appearance of respectability that makes banks and payment providers more comfortable.
These are allegations from a single investigation, with denials from those named. We have not independently verified the ownership claims and do not repeat them here.
What it means for South African players
If you see "licensed in Anjouan" on a casino site, remember that it does not mean the casino is licensed in South Africa, and it does not mean South African law protects your deposit. Our South Africa gambling law guide explains the legal position. Before depositing anywhere, check who actually runs the site, how withdrawals are handled and whether the regulator named on the footer confirms the licence on its own website.
Gambling is entertainment with real financial risk. Only play with money you can afford to lose, and use deposit limits.
What to watch next
Watch for any Comoros court filing, a statement from the Anjouan licensing body, and any action by UK authorities. We will not rate or rank casinos on the strength of a licence alone, and our review pages show "Not yet verified" until we have a real source.