On November 14, 2025, Française des Jeux (FDJ), through its subsidiary Relax Gaming, obtained a B2B license from the Autonomous Region of Anjouan, Comoros, allowing it to supply slot machines, bingo, and table game software to operators registered in Anjouan.
Just two months later, a joint in-depth investigation by France's Le Monde and Dutch casino responsibility website CasinoZorgplicht.nl revealed that multiple online casinos holding Anjouan licenses could easily be accessed within France. These platforms directly use virtual slot machines developed by Relax Gaming, allowing French players to register and bet in seconds.
Following the report, the French National Gaming Authority (ANJ) immediately clarified that such casinos from Anjouan are prohibited in France. However, geographical barriers and due diligence are virtually ineffective, with cryptocurrency payments and VPNs still easily bypassing blockades, leading to 5.4 million grey market players in France, far exceeding the 3.5 million through legal channels.
Similar stories are repeated in other markets: at the end of December 2025, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) exposed that Leon Casino, although officially declared illegal, openly sponsored UFC fighters and held VIP events in Perth, attracting Australian gamblers through local payments like Pay ID and Apple Pay. Its website also proudly displays the Anjouan license.
Irish media also recorded similar cases, with social media continuously advertising platforms leveraging the Anjouan "certification" to attract local users.
Following the trail, reporters uncovered that Anjouan Licensing Services Inc. (ALSI) had sold over 1,300 licenses, generating more than 22 million euros in total revenue.
➡️ The reason these grey platforms can build offshore empires with Comoros licenses lies in Anjouan's "perfect entrepreneurial jurisdiction" and low operational thresholds. The licensing advantages are clear: the cost is only about 17,000 euros/year, with no gaming tax, no need for a local physical office or resident directors, and full remote operation; a single license can cover online casinos, sports betting, poker, lotteries, esports, and provably fair games, allowing multiple domain registrations, suitable for quickly replicating multiple brand matrices.
The application process is highly efficient, with applicants first submitting company registration documents, key personnel KYC passports and address proofs, criminal record checks, detailed business plans, anti-money laundering and responsible gaming policies, and fairness tests of technical platforms through ALSI's online portal. After paying the first year's fee, regulators conduct background due diligence and interviews, usually taking only 3 to 6 weeks, with approval granted in as little as 28 days without needing to visit the island.
This operational flexibility allows startups or grey operators to bypass stringent capital requirements and continuous audits in places like Malta and Curaçao in Europe, directly spreading their presence in the global market. The entry of FDJ's subsidiary further solidifies the attractiveness of the Comoros license.
Currently, the French ANJ has prioritized targeting Anjouan casinos, Australia continues to name and sever payment channels, and other EU members like Ireland are starting to track "fake license" platforms, with FATF reports directly pointing out the contradictions between Comoros gambling bans and offshore licensing.
🔴 However, regulatory progress varies across markets, with many emerging markets still having loopholes. In the never-drying grey areas of demand, the window for applying for a Comoros license remains open, still attracting a large number of operators to continue "betting".
As of March 2026, the official website of Anjouan Licensing Services Inc. (ALSI) still publicly updates the list of valid licenses, with the names of hundreds of B2C and B2B license holders clearly visible. In the short term, obtaining a Comoros license still offers numerous opportunities.
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