Comoros Requests UK Support for Investigation into Alleged Unauthorized Anjouan Gambling Licenses
Comoros seeks UK help to investigate an allegedly unauthorized Anjouan gambling licensing scheme affecting nearly 1,500 businesses since May 2023. The government disputes AOFA and ACS as fictitious entities, with a 2025 study showing the 2005 Act lacks official stamps. British family ties and sharp cash increases at a linked firm add layers to planned legal action.
SCCG Take — Anjouan license holders confront growing enforcement exposure as Comoros challenges foundational authority, requiring immediate verification of legal standing in offshore regimes.
The government of Comoros has asked British authorities for assistance in examining an offshore gambling licensing network it claims operates without authorization under the Anjouan name. The country is cooperating with international police and financial intelligence agencies as it prepares potential legal action. The dispute could affect close to 1,500 businesses on Anjouan’s public gambling license register.
Anjouan Licensing Services began issuing gambling licenses in May 2023 as regulatory tightening occurred in jurisdictions including Curaçao and the Philippines. Anjouan had declared independence from Comoros in 1997 before rejoining under an autonomy arrangement that allowed development of offshore financial services.
Licensing Authority in Dispute
The licensing framework cites the Computer Gaming Licensing Act of 2005 as its basis. However, the Comoros government disputes the legitimacy of the Anjouan Offshore Finance Authority (AOFA). The central bank denounced AOFA and Anjouan Corporate Services (ACS) as “fictitious entities” with the warning focused on unauthorized financial licenses.
Former Comoros attorney-general Azad Mzé described Anjouan Licensing Services as an “illegal entity.” A study by researchers Steve Menary and Marko Begović found that the publicly available version of the 2005 law lacked an official signature or stamp and appeared only on the licensing organization’s website. Anjouan Gaming maintains that its licenses are valid and cites an independent legal opinion, yet it has not identified the law firm or released the document.
British Connections and Regulatory Questions
Investigations identified links between ACS and members of London’s Sorsky family. Harold Sorsky denied that ACS had sold or issued gambling licenses since the family acquired the company in 2023. The Guardian reported that ACS Global Custodian recorded cash holdings rising from GBP 13,130 ($17,524) to GBP 614,826 ($820,594) during 2025, though the source of the increase remains unestablished.
Some Anjouan-licensed casinos were advertised as alternatives to Britain’s GamStop self-exclusion scheme. One operator reportedly sent a journalist more than 100 gambling incentives. The central question is whether the licensing businesses hold the right authorization from island authorities and whether their activities comply with Comoros’ national legal framework. As reported by Gambling News, local approval would not necessarily resolve the wider dispute.
Reporting: GamblingNews
Generated by SCCG’s automated editorial system from published source reporting. SCCG Management holds editorial responsibility.
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