The Anjouan gaming license offers broad international reach for B2C and B2B operators across casino, sportsbook, poker, bingo, lottery, eSports, and software/white‑label. In practice, you can target most countries—often cited as roughly 186—provided you exclude a defined restricted list and any country where gambling is illegal. Core restrictions that require GEO‑IP blocking consistently include the United States, United Kingdom, Netherlands, France, Spain, Austria, Germany, Australia, and Comoros. Some schedules extend the restrictions to FATF‑blacklisted countries and select Caribbean territories (for example, Belize, Curaçao, Statia, St. Martin), so each target country must be validated before launch. Mechanics are straightforward: the license is valid for one year, renewable, typically covers two URLs, and does not permit sublicensing. Compliance travels with you—robust KYC/AML, player protection, fair gaming, and incident reporting—plus alignment with local tax and advertising rules in the player’s country.
What “Anjouan gaming license countries” actually means
When founders ask me about “Anjouan gaming license countries,” they’re really asking two things: where they can operate with an Anjouan license, and which country names must be hard-blocked. The reality is simple. Anjouan gives you a single, broad gaming license that can support casino, sportsbook, lottery, poker, and even B2B platform supply. It’s fast, affordable, and increasingly accepted by software vendors and PSPs. But it doesn’t override local law in every country.
Think of the Anjouan license as your international foundation. You can market and accept players in many countries, but you must respect restrictions required by the Anjouan regulator and by each target country’s own laws. That means you will run a master “restricted list,” implement GEO IP, KYC/AML gates, and avoid any country that your payment partners mark as off-limits. This country-first thinking is what separates compliant operators from domain-churners.
The core restricted list you must geo-block
Across regulator guidance, law firm briefs, and operator playbooks, a consistent restricted list appears for Anjouan-licensed operators. If you hold or plan to hold an Anjouan gaming license, treat the countries below as prohibited and implement hard geo-blocks.
- United States
- United Kingdom
- Netherlands
- France
- Spain
- Austria
- Germany
- Australia
- Comoros (including Anjouan itself for local player acceptance)
These are the recurring names you’ll find in the restrictions. They align with either major local licensing regimes that don’t welcome offshore operators, or with domestic prohibitions you should avoid. You must also exclude countries on global sanctions/AML lists and jurisdictions the Anjouan authorities may designate over time.
FATF and dynamic restrictions
Beyond the core list, the rules require you to block all countries blacklisted by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). That is a moving target. Track FATF updates, EU/UK/US sanctions lists, and your own PSP’s country matrix. If a country becomes high-risk or blacklisted, add it to your restricted list immediately and update your geo-firewall and onboarding flows.
Territories that often show up as restricted
You will also see certain territories flagged by advisors and compliance teams based on either local law, payment friction, or regulator expectations. Examples that frequently appear: Curacao, Belize, Statia, St. Martin, and any jurisdiction the Anjouan Offshore Financial Authority later determines to be restricted. Treat these as “likely restricted” unless you obtain written comfort from counsel and your payment stack.
Countries commonly considered workable under Anjouan
The punchline most founders want: with the required geo-blocks in place, you can operate in a large number of countries. Don’t obsess over an exact count; the practical view is “most of the world, minus the restricted list and dynamic high-risk additions.” You still need to respect each country’s advertising, consumer, and data rules. The Anjouan license does not give you permission to target a country that bans online gaming.
Europe
The Anjouan license does not confer EU market access in the way an MGA license does. You must not take players from restricted EU countries (e.g., France, Germany, Spain, Netherlands, Austria, UK). In other EU and EEA countries, approach with caution. Even if not explicitly on the restricted list, many EU states require a local license or treat offshore targeting as unlawful advertising. If you choose to accept passive traffic from such a country, do not run local ads, tailor promotions, or localize payments in ways that indicate intentional targeting. Always sync with counsel on each country.
Latin America
LATAM is where Anjouan-licensed brands often thrive, provided you respect local law. Some countries (e.g., Colombia, Peru, Brazil) have or are implementing licensing frameworks. If you want to properly target those markets, expect to need a local license and local banking. In other LATAM countries without mature frameworks, Anjouan may be acceptable for cross-border operations with careful KYC, responsible gaming controls, Spanish/Portuguese support, and PSPs comfortable with the country.
Africa and MENA
Africa is varied. Markets like South Africa are license-heavy and not friendly to offshore operators. Others are nascent and more open to cross-border B2C with strong responsible gaming, age verification, and AML. In MENA, regulatory posture ranges from permissive free-zone tech ecosystems to strict prohibitions. Always check whether the country is on sanctions lists or has explicit online gaming bans. Your payment partners will be a practical barometer of what is workable.
Asia-Pacific
APAC is a mosaic. Australia is restricted. New Zealand has nuanced rules; avoid targeting without legal review. The Philippines may be viable through POGO/CEZA frameworks if you structure correctly, but that’s a separate licensing track. India is state-driven: some states permit online skill; chance-based games remain sensitive. Japan is enforcement-heavy. Southeast Asia includes both permissive and prohibitive regimes—do not assume uniform acceptance. Use country-by-country scoping.
Canada and the United States
The United States is restricted. Do not accept US players. Canada is provincial. Ontario requires a local registration; other provinces have their own expectations. If you accept Canadians, implement strict geo-controls and avoid targeted marketing in provinces that treat offshore operators as unlawful competitors.
Practical mapping: go-to-market by country risk bands
A simple way to plan your expansion under an Anjouan gaming license is to sort countries into risk bands and build your controls around them.
| Band | Meaning | Typical examples |
|---|---|---|
| Red | Restricted/prohibited; hard-block with GEO IP and BIN/IPV6 rules | USA, UK, France, Germany, Spain, Netherlands, Austria, Australia, Comoros, FATF-blacklisted |
| Amber | Legally complex; passive acceptance only if allowed, no targeting, enhanced legal review | Many EU/EEA states, Canada (outside Ontario), Japan, India (state-specific) |
| Green | Generally workable for cross-border operations if not prohibited locally; follow AML/KYC and ad rules | Parts of LATAM, Africa, segments of APAC and CIS where offshore is tolerated |
This is not a substitute for legal advice in any country. It is a planning lens to align compliance, marketing, and PSP onboarding.
Banking, PSPs, and the “whitelist”
The rise of Anjouan has nudged more game providers, wallets, and acquirers to whitelist the license. That said, your acceptance in a given country is only as strong as your PSP’s risk appetite. Providers maintain their own restricted list that often mirrors card network rules and FATF designations. When a PSP says a country is off-limits, treat it as restricted in practice, even if not explicitly listed by the regulator. Align your country list with your PSP’s merchant rules, your card descriptors, and your chargeback management plan.
Compliance stack to make geo-restrictions real
A country policy is only as good as its controls. Anjouan-licensed operators should deploy layered defenses: commercial-grade GEO IP with IPv6 coverage; device fingerprinting; BIN and issuer country checks; proof-of-address in KYC; sanctions screening tied to current lists; velocity rules for cross-border payments; and responsible gaming tooling that matches the country’s expectations. Back it with audit trails. Regulators and PSPs love logs.
How to handle the country question during licensing
During application, the authority will ask for your target markets and compliance posture. Be explicit about your restricted list and your GEO/IP stack. Include your policies for FATF and sanctions updates, and how you will halt onboarding in a country that shifts risk category. If you plan both B2C and B2B, describe how your platform enforces restrictions at the operator and player level.
From a corporate perspective, Anjouan’s process is faster than most legacy jurisdictions. You’ll need a clean cap table, fit-and-proper directors and UBOs, a clear business plan, compliant T&Cs, AML/KYC and responsible gaming policies, and tech documentation (including RNG certificates and vendor agreements if applicable). Expect diligence on key persons and ongoing obligations to keep your restricted list aligned with regulator and PSP expectations.
The definitive restricted list vs. your working list
Here’s the reality of operating with an Anjouan gaming license: you maintain two living documents. First, the definitive restricted list required by the license, which includes the core countries (United States, United Kingdom, Netherlands, France, Spain, Austria, Germany, Australia, Comoros) and all FATF-blacklisted countries, plus any other jurisdictions the Anjouan authorities flag. Second, your working list, which also mirrors your PSP restrictions, local advertising rules, and fast-changing political risk.
Update both lists regularly. Tie them to automated blocks, onboarding rules, CRM segmentation, and your marketing geos. Publish your restricted countries on your website in plain language. It reduces disputes and shows regulators and payment partners you take country compliance seriously.
Frequently asked country questions
Is Curacao a restricted country for Anjouan-licensed operators? Some compliance advisors include Curacao and certain Dutch Caribbean territories in their restricted list due to local enforcement posture and banking constraints. Treat it as restricted unless you have formal clearance from your legal and payment stack.
Can I accept EU players if I don’t advertise to them? Passive acceptance without targeting is a risky gray area in many EU states. Even absent explicit blacklisting, regulators can treat offshore acceptance plus localized UX as targeting. If you proceed, strip local cues and obtain jurisdiction-specific advice.
What about countries not named anywhere? Silence doesn’t equal approval. Check: local gambling law; sanctions/FATF status; PSP policy; card network rules; advertising law; and data protection requirements. If two or more indicators are negative, add the country to your restricted list.
How often should I refresh my restricted list? Monthly at minimum, or immediately upon FATF and sanctions updates, PSP notices, or regulatory news affecting any country you touch. Tie updates to change-management tickets and produce an audit log.
| Country or territory | Status for Anjouan-licensed operators | Restriction basis | Must geo-block? | Can market/advertise? | Can onboard players? | Notes (anjouan gaming license countries, restricted list, practical restrictions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States (including territories) | Restricted/prohibited | Explicit Anjouan list | Yes | No | No | High-risk country; strict enforcement expected by payment providers and banks. |
| United Kingdom | Restricted/prohibited | Explicit Anjouan list | Yes | No | No | UK Gambling Act applies; do not target or accept UK traffic. |
| Netherlands | Restricted/prohibited | Explicit Anjouan list | Yes | No | No | Includes Dutch players; separate rows below for overseas territories. |
| France | Restricted/prohibited | Explicit Anjouan list | Yes | No | No | Includes mainland France; French regulators monitor offshore operators. |
| Spain | Restricted/prohibited | Explicit Anjouan list | Yes | No | No | GEO IP and marketing blocks required under the license. |
| Austria | Restricted/prohibited | Explicit Anjouan list | Yes | No | No | Treat as fully blocked for B2C; do not process payments. |
| Germany | Restricted/prohibited | Explicit Anjouan list | Yes | No | No | German Interstate Treaty on Gambling; strict PSP screening. |
| Australia | Restricted/prohibited | Explicit Anjouan list | Yes | No | No | Australian online gambling bans apply; block all traffic. |
| Comoros (including Anjouan residents) | Restricted/prohibited | Explicit Anjouan list | Yes | No | No | Home-country restriction; do not service local residents. |
| Curaçao | Restricted/prohibited (commonly enforced) | Common Anjouan guidance | Yes | No | No | Frequently listed by advisors as restricted; apply GEO IP blocks. |
| Belize | Restricted/prohibited (commonly enforced) | Common Anjouan guidance | Yes | No | No | Often included in the country restrictions list for this license. |
| Sint Eustatius (Statia) | Restricted/prohibited (commonly enforced) | Common Anjouan guidance | Yes | No | No | Dutch Caribbean territory; block alongside NL. |
| Sint Maarten (St. Martin) | Restricted/prohibited (commonly enforced) | Common Anjouan guidance | Yes | No | No | Dutch Caribbean territory; block alongside NL. |
| FATF blacklisted countries (Iran, DPRK/North Korea, Myanmar) | Restricted/prohibited | FATF high-risk list | Yes | No | No | KYC/AML rules require blocking; maintain updated FATF list. |
| Any other jurisdictions designated by Anjouan Offshore Financial Authority | Restricted/prohibited | Regulator discretion | Yes | No | No | Catch-all clause; monitor circulars and compliance updates. |
| Countries where gambling is illegal or requires a local license | Restricted until locally licensed | Local law compliance | Yes (unless locally licensed) | No (unless locally licensed) | No (unless locally licensed) | The license does not override local law; perform legal review per country. |
| All other countries not listed above | Generally allowed under the Anjouan license | Default scope of the license | No (subject to risk rules) | Yes (comply with ad standards) | Yes (with full KYC/AML) | Coverage often cited as 180+ countries; apply KYC, AML, CFT, responsible gaming, and respect any country-specific rules. |