Here’s the official 2025 snapshot of Anjouan gaming license fees: €13,300 annual regulator fee, €2,000 per Key Person (at least one required), and €1,700 for ISP monitoring/compliance—€17,000 per year in total, plus VAT if applicable. Processing usually takes 2–4 weeks after a complete file, and the license is valid for one year. The standard pack covers B2C/B2B authorization, one Compliance Officer, and regulator‑required data access; extra Key Persons, additional domains, and complex ownership structures add to the fee. Most providers echo the same official pack for 2025, with lean all‑in budgets around €20,000–€25,000 once incorporation and essentials are included. Start renewal about 60 days before expiry to avoid suspension for non‑payment.
The 2025 official fee picture, in plain English
If you strip away the marketing fluff and the mystery invoices, Anjouan’s gaming license fees in 2025 are straightforward. The regulator’s standard annual package totals roughly €17,000 and is the anchor cost of holding an Anjouan license. This is the figure most operators quote when they say “Anjouan is cheap.” They are talking about the regulator’s annual charges, not the whole journey from zero to launch.
What trips people up is the label on the third line item. In some official schedules it appears as “ISP monitoring and compliance backups.” In others, service firms present it as “initial annual compliance and due diligence.” Either way, it is a regulator‑mandated, annual line that sits alongside the license fee and the key person authorization. Budget for it. Do not try to negotiate it away.
Core items you pay to the regulator
Here is the backbone of the annual spend, as used in 2025 by operators that hold an official Anjouan gaming license:
| Item (official, annual) | Typical 2025 amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming license fee | €13,300 | Payable to the regulator for the B2C/B2B online gaming authorization. |
| Compliance Officer / Key Person authorization (1 required) | €2,000 per person | At least one approved officer is mandatory; each additional Key Person is another €2,000/year. |
| ISP monitoring and backups OR initial annual compliance/due diligence | €1,700 | Presented differently across schedules, but it is part of the regulator’s required annual pack. |
| Total core regulator fee | ≈ €17,000 | Recurring each year, assuming no extra Key Persons or domains are added. |
Add VAT if applicable to the billing entity handling the transaction. The regulator’s own lines are typically net of VAT; your licensed agent or corporate provider may need to add VAT based on their jurisdiction.
What the €17,000 does not include
The €17k is not a turnkey price. It does not include your company setup, banking, platform, or ongoing corporate housekeeping. You will still need to fund incorporation, KYC-due‑diligence beyond the standard threshold, domain additions, legal opinions for payment providers, and compliance tooling. Think of €17k as the “ticket to the dance,” not the cost of the orchestra.
The real-world budget operators should expect
Across live files in 2024–2025, lean projects land in the mid‑20s (thousands of euros) to go live in month one. More ambitious builds can push beyond €40k once you factor platform integration and payment workstreams. That is still competitive versus Curaçao post‑reform, and a fraction of Malta or Isle of Man.
Expect company incorporation in Anjouan to run around €3,000–€3,200 through a reputable corporate services firm. Add certifications, notarizations, couriering, and basic corporate kit, and your setup line will look closer to the mid‑€4,000s before you sign your first PSP.
If your ownership chart is simple—no more than four natural‑person directors/shareholders/UBOs—you usually fit within the standard compliance envelope. Complex structures (trusts, layered SPVs, funds, or corporate UBOs) trigger extra KYC. Those additional due‑diligence checks are commonly quoted in the €250–€500 per subject range, on top of the core regulator fees.
Due diligence and “complex structure” pricing
Anjouan’s regulator expects to see everyone who owns or controls the gaming business. The standard compliance pack, in practice, assumes up to four individuals as directors/shareholders/UBOs. Go beyond that or insert holding entities and you should plan for incremental due‑diligence costs. They are modest, but they add up if your cap table is dense.
Add to this the Key Person math. One authorized Compliance Officer is required. If you split responsibilities—say, one CO, one MLRO, and one Technology Security Officer—you may face €2,000/year for each additional Key Person authorization. Some teams consolidate titles to control the fee line; others split roles to de‑risk continuity and appease banks. There is no “right” answer—only the trade‑off that fits your operating model.
Renewal math: what year two really costs
Renewal in Anjouan is refreshingly predictable. If nothing material changes, the year‑two regulator spend is again around €17,000 for the license, the Key Person authorization, and the monitoring/compliance line. Pay it before the deadline; the law allows suspension if you miss the renewal fee.
Two things can nudge renewals upward. First, if you added more Key Persons or domains during year one, those lines will recur. Second, any material change—new UBOs, board reshuffles, business model shifts—can trigger targeted due diligence. Budget a cushion for change.
What’s included in “official” scope—and what isn’t
One Anjouan gaming license covers both B2C and B2B activity under the 2005 framework. That means casinos, sportsbooks, lotteries, poker, bingo, virtuals, eSports, provably fair, and even software/platform supply all sit under a single authorization. That is why the jurisdiction is attractive in 2025: wide scope, one license, one annual pack of fees.
However, official scope does not eliminate your territorial obligations. You must geoblock restricted markets—commonly including the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Australia, Austria, the Comoros domestic market, and FATF‑blacklisted countries. Entering prohibited territories risks enforcement and, yes, a wasted fee.
Optional add‑ons that move the needle
Additional domains/brands: you can attach multiple URLs to an Anjouan license, but extra domains carry an additional fee per URL. The regulator’s schedule is updated periodically; get the current official price before you proliferate brands.
White‑labeling: if you plan to offer white‑label sites to partners, expect to carry both B2B and B2C permissions and manage a higher Key Person and compliance footprint. The regulator does not charge “white‑label taxes” per se, but every added brand and responsible person finds its way into your annual fee stack.
Compliance tooling: AML screening, transaction monitoring, self‑exclusion modules, and fairness certification for in‑house RNGs are not regulator fees, yet they are increasingly demanded by banks and PSPs. Allocate budget now so your payments stack does not stall later.
Timeline, cash flow, and the smart way to stage payments
If your file is clean and your documents are certified properly, issuance can land in two to three weeks from submission and fee payment. That speed is part of Anjouan’s appeal in 2025. Where projects slip is not at the regulator; it is at the document level—expired police clearances, poor certifying language, or gaps in beneficial ownership proofs.
A sensible staging plan looks like this: incorporate first; clear KYC for all principals; pre‑agree your PSP short‑list and their documentary asks; then pay the regulator’s annual pack when your platform is almost ready to point traffic. That way, your €17,000 clock buys you operation time, not idle months.
Taxes, VAT, and the “is it really tax‑free?” question
Anjouan does not levy gambling‑specific taxes on your GGR under the current framework, which is why you see “0% gaming tax” in glossy decks. That statement is broadly accurate, but it is not the whole picture. Your company still needs a coherent tax position in the place where value is created—usually where management sits, servers run, or players are targeted. The annual regulator fees are generally net of VAT; any VAT you see will come from your service providers’ local rules, not from Anjouan itself.
Talk to a tax professional before you start selling to a market that taxes offshore operators. A cheap license paired with an avoidable permanent establishment is not a win.
Common mistakes that cost operators real money
- Treating €17,000 as “the total cost.” It is only the official annual pack. Add incorporation, KYC beyond four subjects, extra Key Persons, domains, and practical compliance spend.
- Paying the fee before the build. Time your annual pack so you are license‑live when your platform and PSPs are ready, not six months earlier.
- Over‑complicating the cap table. Every new entity and UBO adds due‑diligence fee friction and, sometimes, delays.
- Ignoring restricted territories. The fastest way to turn a low‑cost jurisdiction expensive is to breach geoblocking and face remedial work—or worse.
FAQs I keep getting in my inbox
- Is the €17,000 number official for 2025? Yes—the standard annual regulator pack in 2025 is approximately €17,000. It is composed of the license fee (€13,300), one Key Person authorization (€2,000), and a €1,700 line that is labeled either as ISP monitoring/backups or as initial annual compliance/due diligence. Same total, different label.
- How fast can I get the license after I pay the fee? Often within 2–3 weeks if your documents and corporate setup are in order.
- Do I need more than one Key Person? At least one is required. Each additional Key Person authorization adds €2,000 per year.
- Are there gaming taxes in Anjouan? No gambling‑specific tax on GGR under the current regime, but mind your cross‑border tax footprint.
- How many shareholders/directors are included in the base compliance fee? Standard pricing anticipates up to four individuals; beyond that, expect €250–€500 per extra subject for due diligence.
- Will I pay VAT on the license fee? The regulator’s lines are typically net; VAT may be added by your licensed agent or corporate provider if their jurisdiction requires it.
What to ask your provider before you wire a cent
There are three questions that separate a clean Anjouan engagement from an expensive lesson. First, ask for the regulator‑issued pro forma showing the official 2025 lines that sum to €17,000. Second, ask for a written schedule of extras: additional Key Persons, added domains, complex‑structure due diligence, and courier/legalization costs—each with a number. Third, ask for a renewal calendar with cut‑off dates. If your partner cannot answer all three crisply and in writing, you are buying guesswork, not a license.
Anjouan remains one of the most efficient paths to market in 2025. Treat the official fee structure with respect, budget honestly for the pieces around it, and you will get the speed and value the jurisdiction is known for—without surprises.
| Fee item | Amount (EUR) | Frequency | Payable to | Mandatory | 2025 status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaming license fee (core) | 13,300 | Annual | Regulator (Gaming Control Anjouan via ALSI) | Yes | Reported for 2025; official tariff | Covers the primary Anjouan gaming license. Due on issue and at each renewal. |
| Compliance officer / key person authorisation (per person) | 2,000 | Annual | Regulator | At least one | Reported for 2025; official tariff | One key person is required. Each additional key person carries the same fee. |
| Third line‑item in the annual pack (ISP compliance service or initial compliance/due diligence) | 1,700 | Annual | Regulator or appointed ISP | Yes | Reported for 2025; official but described differently by sources | Some sources list this as ISP monitoring/backups; others as initial compliance/due diligence covering up to 4 directors/shareholders/UBOs. It is one mandatory item in the pack. |
| Total regulator annual pack (standard structure) | 17,000–17,500 | Annual | Regulator | Yes | Quoted for 2025; official pack | Sum of the three items above. VAT added if applicable. “Standard” assumes no more than 4 individual shareholders/directors/UBOs. |
| Additional key person beyond the first | 2,000 per person | Annual | Regulator | Only if added | Active in 2025; official tariff | Charged per extra authorised key person. |
| Additional due diligence for complex structures or extra individuals | 250–500 per subject | One‑time (and when changes occur) | Regulator or its agent | As needed | Used in 2024–2025; official case‑by‑case | Applies when structure is complex or when adding directors, shareholders, or UBOs beyond four. |
| Additional domains/URLs under one license | Not publicly fixed | Annual or per change | Regulator | As needed | In effect in 2025; official | A fee applies per added URL/brand. Request the official 2025 tariff before adding. |
| Renewal payment (license continuation) | Included in annual pack | Annual | Regulator | Yes | Unchanged for 2025; official | License may be suspended if the renewal fee is not paid by the deadline. |
| VAT on fees | As applicable | With each invoice | Local tax authority | If applicable | Applies in 2025 | VAT must be added where applicable to Anjouan gaming license fees. |
| Company incorporation in Anjouan (IBC) | 3,000–3,200 | One‑time | Corporate service provider | Required to apply | Typical 2025 market rate (not an official regulator fee) | Covers IBC setup and registered agent. Pricing varies by provider. |
| ISP compliance service (if billed separately from the pack) | 1,700 | Annual | Regulator‑appointed ISP | If not included in pack | Reported in 2025 by multiple sources | Some quotes list this as a separate line; others include it in the €17,000–€17,500 annual fee. Confirm in the official quote. |
| Initial compliance and due diligence (if billed separately from the pack) | 1,700 | One‑time annual setup | Regulator or its agent | If not included in pack | Reported in late‑2024/2025 by multiple sources | Some quotes list this as the €1,700 item instead of ISP. Clarify in the official 2025 fee schedule you receive. |