Why Anjouan is the smart alternative to Malta’s regulatory maze

In this article, iGaming industry consultant Ron Mendelson, Fast Offshore, explores why Anjouan has become the most practical choice for ambitious startups and established operators seeking legitimacy without immense paperwork.

The iGaming and online betting industry has never moved faster. New brands launch every week, payment processors demand licensed partners, and players expect seamless crypto deposits alongside traditional fiat options, as well as high levels of trust and credibility. In this environment, the difference between getting to market in days versus months can make or break a startup iGaming site.

For years, Malta dominated the conversation when operators talked about “proper” licensing. The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) built a rock-solid reputation as the gold standard, Tier-1 regulation with the strictest compliance, deepest audits, and a great reputation. Operators wielding a Malta license find doors to banks, payment providers, and big affiliates opened wide. That prestige, however, comes wrapped in layers of complexity that many growing or startup businesses simply don’t need and can’t afford to wait for.

Enter Anjouan, the quiet island in the Comoros archipelago that has rapidly become the most practical choice for ambitious startups and established operators seeking legitimacy without the immense paperwork and costs of a full Tier-1 regime.

One license fits all

The single biggest operational advantage Anjouan offers is simplicity: one master license covers casino, sports betting, poker, lottery, and virtually every other form of remote gaming under the sun. No separate Class 1, Class 2, Class 3, or Class 4 applications and there is no need to juggle multiple license types as your product portfolio evolves.

Malta still requires operators to map every vertical to a specific license class, which means more paperwork, more legal hours, and more back-and-forth with the Authority every time you want to add live dealer tables or launch a new sportsbook skin. This can add up in terms of fees and time, reducing profitability and player satisfaction.

A regulator that actually wants your business

Anyone who has dealt with the MGA knows that the process can be complex and time-consuming. Slow response times, ongoing requests for additional documents, and steep requirements can be a big challenge for operators. Anjouan’s Gaming Board takes the opposite approach. The authorities understand that a healthy license ecosystem brings jobs, foreign revenue, and infrastructure spending to a small island nation. They are approachable, responsive, and genuinely interested in attracting serious operators. 

Furthermore, when you work with an experienced corporate service provider like Fast Offshore, the entire Anjouan application from company formation to license issuance can be completed in just a few days.

Credibility that gets the job done

Anjouan is not Malta. It is a lower-tier jurisdiction and makes no pretense otherwise, but this doesn’t mean it is not a credible or legitimate licensing jurisdiction. Holding an Anjouan license allows you to partner with payment processors, banks, game producers, and more. These partners care that the license is real, that the regulator actually exists, and that the operator has undergone proper KYC and compliance checks. Anjouan delivers on all three.

If that was not convincing enough, the data speaks for itself: over 850 Anjouan gaming licenses have now been granted, powering well over 2,000 sites, and the number keeps on growing. When that many experienced operators, from boutique crypto casinos to multi-brand sportsbook groups, put their trust and funds behind a jurisdiction, it is the strongest possible vote of confidence.

Crypto-native from day one

Anjouan never had to “add” crypto support as an afterthought, as it was created with the reality of crypto payments and blockchain gaming in mind. Operators can accept, hold, and settle in cryptocurrency without jumping through extra hoops or filing separate approvals. Malta has made progress on the crypto front, but the process still involves additional scrutiny, sandbox periods, and ongoing reporting obligations that feel like legacy regulation trying to catch up with reality.

Cost leadership without cutting corners

Anjouan currently offers the lowest overall cost structure of any reputable remote gaming jurisdiction. The license fee, annual fees, and local company requirements are a fraction of what operators face elsewhere. Yet none of this comes at the expense of legitimacy. The jurisdiction maintains proper AML frameworks, requires independent game fairness certification, and enforces responsible gaming standards. 

When tier-1 actually makes sense

There are still scenarios where Malta, or Curaçao’s new regime, Kahnawake, or the Isle of Man, remains the logical choice. If you are looking to launch a multinational group, target certain US or EU markets, or planning a public listing, then yes, the Malta flag makes sense. But for everyone else such as startups, small-to-medium operators, crypto-first brands, companies running a handful of white labels, or established groups looking to migrate, the MGA’s bureaucracy is overkill. The compliance burden, legal spend, and lost revenue while waiting simply do not justify the marginal increase in perceived prestige for the vast majority of businesses.

The Fast Offshore advantage

Fast Offshore has been incorporating companies and securing licenses in Anjouan since the jurisdiction opened its gaming framework to international operators. Our team has handled hundreds of these applications and maintains direct, daily contact with the authorities. We know exactly which documents move the file forward and what the authorities are looking out for. That institutional experience is why our clients consistently receive their Anjouan license faster than anywhere else, often measured in days rather than weeks.

The bottom line

Malta built the blueprint for respected remote gaming regulation, and the industry owes it a debt of gratitude. But blueprints get revised. Today, Anjouan offers the right balance of speed, cost, flexibility, and genuine legitimacy for the next wave of operators who need to move fast and stay lean. If you are tired of watching competitors launch while your application gathers dust in a European regulator’s inbox, it might be time to consider a jurisdiction that prides itself on speed and simplicity.

To find out more about the Anjouan iGaming license, contact Fast Offshore. Our team can help you make the right choice, figure out whether a custom package or off-the-shelf option is right for you, and then help you with the whole application process and all ongoing maintenance. Our team are waiting for your message!