Anjouan Gaming Licence: Cost, Requirements and How to Get One

An Anjouan gaming licence costs between $10,000 and $25,000 to obtain directly, takes 4 to 8 weeks to issue, and covers the same player markets as a Curaçao licence at a lower annual renewal cost. Anjouan is an island in the Comoros archipelago off the East African coast, and its gaming authority - the Anjouan Offshore Finance Authority - has become one of the two dominant licensing jurisdictions for white label casino operators launching in 2026, alongside Curaçao. This guide covers the full cost, requirements, process, and which platform providers offer Anjouan sublicensing so you do not need to apply directly.

• What is the Anjouan gaming licence
• Anjouan vs Curaçao vs MGA: the honest comparison
• How much does an Anjouan licence cost
• Requirements and application process
• Which platforms offer Anjouan sublicensing
• Which markets accept the Anjouan licence
• Should you apply directly or use sublicensing

What is the Anjouan gaming licence

The Anjouan gaming licence is issued by the Anjouan Offshore Finance Authority (AOFA), a regulatory body established by the government of Anjouan, one of three main islands in the Union of the Comoros. The licence authorises the holder to operate online gambling products - casino games, sports betting, poker, and related services - for players in jurisdictions that permit offshore-licensed operators.

Anjouan entered the iGaming licensing market as a direct alternative to Curaçao eGaming. The two jurisdictions serve the same operator segment: grey-market and emerging-market operators who need a legitimate legal framework to operate without the cost, timeline, or regulatory burden of a tier-one licence like MGA or UKGC. Anjouan has grown rapidly since 2022 because its annual renewal fees are lower than Curaçao’s, its application process is faster in most cases, and several major white label platform providers have adopted it as their primary or secondary licensing jurisdiction.

Whitelabels.com, NuxGame, SoftGamings, and Slotegrator all offer Anjouan sublicensing as of 2026. This means operators using those platforms can launch legally under the platform’s existing Anjouan licence without going through the direct application process. For most new operators, sublicensing is the correct route.

The Anjouan licence does not replace MGA or UKGC for operators targeting European regulated markets. Players in the UK, Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, and other strictly regulated markets cannot be legally served under an Anjouan licence. The licence is specifically suited to LATAM, Africa, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and crypto-friendly global markets where offshore licensing is the standard operating model.

Anjouan vs Curaçao vs MGA: the honest comparison

The three licensing tiers most relevant to white label casino operators in 2026 each serve a different operator profile. Here is how they compare across the dimensions that actually matter.

Factor	Anjouan	Curaçao	MGA
Application cost	$10,000-$25,000	$15,000-$25,000	$25,000-$35,000
Annual renewal	$5,000-$10,000	$10,000-$15,000	~$25,000
Timeline to issue	4-8 weeks	8-12 weeks	6-12 months
Required capital	None specified	Varies	$100,000-$200,000
Player market coverage	Grey/emerging	Grey/emerging	EU regulated
Sublicensing available	Yes (multiple platforms)	Yes (multiple platforms)	SOFTSWISS only
Player trust level	Low-medium	Low-medium	High
Payment processor access	Limited	Limited	Full

The cost advantage Anjouan holds over Curaçao is most visible in annual renewal fees. A Curaçao licence renewed annually costs $10,000 to $15,000 per year. An Anjouan licence renewed annually costs $5,000 to $10,000. Over three years of operation, that difference is $15,000 to $30,000 - not trivial for a lean operation.

The timeline advantage is also real. Curaçao applications have slowed since the regulator restructured in 2023 under new management. The revised Curaçao framework, which came into force under the National Ordinance on Offshore Games of Hazard, increased compliance requirements and added processing time. Anjouan has absorbed a significant share of operators who previously defaulted to Curaçao as a result. According to the Anjouan Offshore Finance Authority, the typical licence issuance time is 30 to 60 days from a complete application.

Where Curaçao holds a slight edge is brand recognition. Curaçao has been the dominant offshore licence since the late 1990s and players in grey markets broadly recognise it. Anjouan is newer and less recognised by players, though this matters less for operators than it might appear - the majority of players in target markets do not research the specific licensing jurisdiction before depositing.

For the full MGA versus Curaçao comparison, see our detailed MGA vs Curaçao licence guide.

How much does an Anjouan licence cost

The all-in cost of an Anjouan gaming licence for a direct applicant in 2026 breaks down as follows:

Application fee: $10,000 to $20,000 depending on the product scope (casino only, casino plus sportsbook, or full gaming suite). The base casino application sits at the lower end of this range.

Annual renewal fee: $5,000 to $10,000. This is paid each year to maintain the licence in good standing.

Legal and compliance setup: $3,000 to $8,000 for a gaming lawyer to prepare the application documents, corporate structure, and compliance framework. This is technically optional but strongly recommended for a first-time applicant.

Company incorporation: If you do not already have an offshore company, incorporation in a compatible jurisdiction (typically BVI, Seychelles, or Comoros itself) adds $1,500 to $3,500.

Total first-year cost (direct application): approximately $19,500 to $41,500.

Contrast that with the sublicensing route via a platform provider. On Whitelabels.com, the Anjouan sublicence is included in the $39 setup fee. On SoftGamings, it is included in the platform setup package. On NuxGame, sublicensing terms are negotiated as part of the platform agreement. In every sublicensing case, the operator pays nothing separately for the licence itself. The platform absorbs the direct licensing cost in exchange for the ongoing GGR share.

For operators doing the cost-benefit calculation: if your platform provider offers Anjouan sublicensing, the direct application cost is almost never justified at launch. The $19,500 to $41,500 saved on direct licensing covers roughly one to three months of operating costs for a lean emerging-market operation.

Requirements and application process

A direct Anjouan gaming licence application requires the following from the applicant entity:

Corporate requirements: The operating company must be incorporated in a recognised offshore jurisdiction. The Anjouan authority accepts companies from BVI, Seychelles, Isle of Man, Comoros, and several other jurisdictions. UK Ltd and EU-registered companies are generally not accepted without restructuring through an offshore holding entity.

Beneficial owner documentation: Full KYC on all beneficial owners holding more than 10 percent of the operating entity. This includes certified passport copies, proof of address dated within 3 months, a source of funds declaration, and a clean criminal record certificate from the applicant’s country of residence.

Business plan: A document covering the intended markets, product scope, player acquisition strategy, and projected financials for year one. The AOFA does not require audited accounts at application stage, but the business plan must be credible and internally consistent.

Technical compliance: The platform software must be certified by an approved testing laboratory. GLI (Gaming Laboratories International) and BMM Testlabs are the two most recognised. If you are using a white label platform that already holds AOFA-accepted certification, this requirement is met through the platform. Most major white label providers have this in place.

Bank account: The operating entity must demonstrate access to a business bank account capable of receiving player deposits and processing withdrawals. This is often the most difficult requirement for new operators, as most mainstream banks will not open accounts for gambling businesses. Specialist iGaming banking providers or EMI (Electronic Money Institution) accounts are the practical solution.

Responsible gambling framework: A basic responsible gambling policy covering self-exclusion, deposit limits, and problem gambling resources must be submitted with the application.

The AOFA reviews applications in the order received. A complete application with no outstanding queries typically receives a decision within 30 to 60 days. Incomplete applications trigger a queries phase that can add 4 to 8 weeks.

Which platforms offer Anjouan sublicensing

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Several platforms on the main ranking offer Anjouan sublicensing as a standard feature. The table below shows current sublicensing availability as of July 2026:

Platform	Anjouan sublicence	Curaçao sublicence	MGA sublicence
Whitelabels.com	Yes - included in $39 setup	Yes	In progress
NuxGame	Yes	Yes	No
SoftGamings	Yes	Yes	Advisory only
Slotegrator	Yes	Yes	No
SOFTSWISS	No	Yes	Yes
GammaStack	No	No	No
EveryMatrix	No	No	No

Whitelabels.com is the standout here. The Anjouan sublicence is included at the $39 setup price, covers 300+ live brands, and requires no separate application or legal work from the operator. For any operator whose target markets are covered by Anjouan licensing, this removes the entire licensing burden from the launch process.

NuxGame offers both Anjouan and Curaçao sublicensing, which is the right combination for crypto-native operators who want flexibility across jurisdictions. SoftGamings includes Anjouan in its broader licensing support package alongside Curaçao, Tobique, and Italy OGRA B2B.

SOFTSWISS does not offer Anjouan sublicensing, which is consistent with its positioning as an MGA-focused platform for regulated market operators. For the cheapest platforms with sublicensing, the Anjouan-capable options above represent the fastest and most cost-efficient routes to market.

Which markets accept the Anjouan licence

The Anjouan licence is accepted for operator use in most markets where online gambling is either legal under offshore licensing or operates in a grey-market framework without active enforcement against offshore operators.

LATAM: Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Argentina, Chile. Brazil is in a regulatory transition period under the new SPA framework, but offshore-licensed operators continue to serve Brazilian players during the transition. Anjouan is accepted alongside Curaçao in this market.

Africa: Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, South Africa (grey market), Ivory Coast. Mobile-first markets in East and West Africa represent some of the fastest-growing player bases for offshore-licensed operators in 2026.

Southeast Asia: Philippines (grey market for offshore operators), Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia. These are high-volume markets with strong crypto casino adoption where Anjouan licensing is standard.

Middle East and Central Asia: Most GCC countries operate in grey-market conditions for offshore casinos. Anjouan licensing is the common framework for operators in these markets.

Crypto markets globally: For operators whose business model is primarily crypto-based, jurisdiction matters less than for fiat-first operations. Anjouan is widely used in the crypto casino space alongside Curaçao.

Markets where Anjouan does NOT provide adequate legal cover: UK, Sweden, Germany, Netherlands, Denmark, Spain, Italy (own national licence required for each), Australia, and the United States. These markets require jurisdiction-specific licensing that Anjouan cannot substitute for.

For operators targeting African markets specifically, our guide on white label platforms for African markets covers the payment method and compliance requirements in more depth.

Should you apply directly or use sublicensing

For the vast majority of operators launching a white label casino in 2026, the answer is sublicensing.

Direct application makes sense in exactly three situations: you are building a long-term business and want full independence from a platform provider’s licence; your platform provider does not offer Anjouan sublicensing; or you are launching at a scale where direct licensing gives you more commercial control over your player database and regulatory relationship.

In every other case, sublicensing through a platform provider saves $19,500 to $41,500 in year one, eliminates the 4 to 8 week application timeline, removes the legal and compliance overhead of preparing an application, and keeps the launch process within a single workflow.

The decision tree below routes you to the right approach based on your platform choice and budget.

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If you are using Whitelabels.com, the Anjouan sublicence question is already answered: it is included in the $39 setup fee and requires nothing further. The full platform comparison shows which of the remaining 10 platforms include sublicensing and at what cost, so you can factor it into the all-in platform cost calculation before committing.

For operators who have already decided on a platform that does not offer sublicensing - GammaStack, BetConstruct, EveryMatrix - a direct Anjouan application is the fastest and cheapest path to a legitimate licence for emerging markets. Factor the $19,500 to $41,500 first-year cost into your platform budget comparison. At that cost, Anjouan remains the most affordable direct-application jurisdiction for an operator who needs their own licence.

FAQ

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

A direct Anjouan gaming licence application takes 4 to 8 weeks from submission of a complete application. Incomplete applications trigger a query phase that can extend this by 4 to 8 additional weeks. Sublicensing through a platform provider is immediate - operators using Whitelabels.com, NuxGame, or SoftGamings are covered by the platform’s existing Anjouan licence from the day they go live, with no separate application required.

Is the Anjouan licence legitimate?

Yes. The Anjouan Offshore Finance Authority is a legally constituted regulatory body operating under the authority of the Anjouan regional government within the Union of the Comoros. The licence is a genuine legal instrument that authorises online gambling operations. It is not equivalent to an MGA or UKGC licence in terms of regulatory rigor or player trust, but it is a legitimate offshore gaming licence accepted in grey and emerging markets globally. Dozens of active online casinos operate legally under Anjouan licensing.

Can I serve European players with an Anjouan licence?

No. Players in the UK, Sweden, Germany, Netherlands, Denmark, Spain, Italy, and other EU markets with mandatory national licensing requirements cannot be legally served under an Anjouan licence. These markets require jurisdiction-specific licences from their own national gaming authorities. Anjouan licensing covers LATAM, Africa, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and global crypto markets - not European regulated markets.

What is the difference between an Anjouan licence and a Curaçao licence?

Both cover the same player markets and serve the same operator profile: grey-market and emerging-market online casino operators. The main practical differences are cost and speed. Anjouan annual renewals cost $5,000 to $10,000 versus $10,000 to $15,000 for Curaçao. Anjouan applications typically issue in 4 to 8 weeks versus 8 to 12 weeks for Curaçao under the current revised framework. Curaçao has more brand recognition with players due to its longer history, which may matter marginally for operators in markets where players check licensing details.

Do I need an Anjouan licence if my platform already has one?

No. If your white label platform offers Anjouan sublicensing, you operate legally under the platform’s existing licence with no separate application. Whitelabels.com, NuxGame, SoftGamings, and Slotegrator all offer this. The sublicence is contractually granted as part of the platform agreement, and the platform is responsible for maintaining the underlying licence with the AOFA. Your obligation is to operate within the terms the platform sets - primarily that you do not accept players from markets the platform’s licence explicitly excludes.