Comoros iGaming Market Research Report

In the past few years, the Comoros, home to several islands, including the market-heavy island of Anjouan, has matured from a peripheral jurisdiction to an iGaming hub. A key regulatory change in 2023 provided greater oversight and efficiency, attracting hundreds of operators to the market by 2025. Comoros is committed to offering low-cost and transparent licensing and a business-friendly regulatory climate, which together have placed it in 2025 as a “go-to” for startups, SME operators, and well-known global brands looking to quickly expand. Key initiatives included licensing now being digitized, modern protocols being put in place for compliance, and major improvements in payment infrastructure, highlighting the Comoran reputation for speed and transparency in the regulation of online gambling.

Market Overview

Thanks to an efficiently implemented regulatory overhaul and favorable pro-business policies, Comoros’ iGaming market has increased in global significance, with Anjouan as its licensing powerhouse. Today, the jurisdiction has more than 850 licensed operators in 2025 who together support more than 2,000 operational websites for online gambling across the world. This unprecedented increase demonstrates Comoros’ dramatic transformation from a small offshore gaming jurisdiction to a major force in international gaming and betting.

Table 1: Comoros iGaming Market Metrics (2025)

Market Size and Growth

• Active Operators: By 2025, there will be more than 850 licensed businesses operating to serve a truly global audience online. 
• Gaming Websites: More than 2,000 fully functioning online casinos, sportsbooks, lottery, and poker sites in the Comoros. 
• Revenue and Growth Rate: Directly reporting local revenues is difficult, but the Comoros iGaming market is positioned as one of the fastest-growing regulated markets with double-digit growth rates for operators year over year. Zero gaming revenue tax, economic rates of operations, and a “one license, all verticals” model are driving new capital investment and expanding the market. 
• Business Models: Both B2C and B2B verticals are thriving, with entities ranging from consumer-facing casino and betting sites to software providers, payment solution providers, and white-label aggregators.

Popular Game Types

• Online Casino: Slot machines, live dealer tables, and instant-win games are the most popular among global companies that operate for international players. 
• Sports Betting: Virtual and pre-match betting markets related to football, basketball, cricket, and eSports are increasingly being offered alongside casino betting. 
• Poker: Online poker rooms and poker tournament sites are also still popular, with licensed platforms in Comoros being hosted in the international marketplace for flexibility and global settings.
• Lotteries: Digital draws for lotteries, scratch cards, and games that offer an instant win are growing sectors of the gambling market.
• eSports & GameFi: Emerging segments such as eSports and play-to-earn games based upon blockchain technology have gained traction under the unified licensing model targeting a younger, more technology-advanced player. 

Player Demographics

Age:

• Primarily Ages: 18-45 years, indicating youthful and mobile-driven interaction.
• Trend: Subsequent growth in participation from both young and older demographics where mobile and digital payment offerings are present.

Gender:

• Male Dominated: Male players are in the majority, especially for casino and sports betting.
• Increasing female participation: The rise of mobile-first and social-first platforms is contributing to an increasing share of female users.

Preferences:

• Mobile-centric gaming: The vast majority of users gamble on smartphones and tablets for quick and interactive games.
• Types of Games: Slots, virtual sports, and instant lottery are still the most popular, as are competitive forms of poker.
• Technological: The desire for quick payouts, mobile bank transfers, and instantaneous account verifications keeps operators enhancing their gaming offerings.

Key Drivers:

• Low-cost entry, speed of licensing and approval, and a single licensing regime make Comoros the natural choice for both startups and existing global brands.
• No gaming tax and minimal bureaucracy enable operators to reinvest in marketing, technology, and product advancements.
• Integrated regulatory standards across all gaming verticals allow for seamless expansion into newly regulated gaming products.

Regulatory Landscape

The island of Anjouan in Comoros has emerged as the global leader in gaming regulation, providing operators with an appealing, cost-effective, and efficient licensing environment. The attractive licensing environment is driven by a combination of progressive legislation, a low administrative burden, and established oversight to ensure fair play and protection of consumers.

Overview of Existing Regulations

• Regulatory Body: Gambling in Comoros is governed by the Betting and Gaming Act 2005 and the Computer Gaming Licensing Act 1999.
• Regulatory Authority: The Anjouan Betting and Gaming Board (ABGB), with the assistance of the Anjouan Offshore Financial Authority (AOFA), is responsible for licensing, compliance, and enforcement of any license and will govern every form of online gaming, which includes all casino and sports betting, poker rooms, lotteries, eSports, and GameFi. 
• Scope: The regime provides for both B2C and B2B gambling, thus allowing multiple platforms, brands, and business models under a single multi-use license. Formats include web casinos, betting on sports, pure online poker rooms, eSports, digital lotteries, and new forms of games, including crypto and play-to-earn.

Licensing Requirements and Regulatory Authorities

• Entity formation: Applicants must register as an International Business Company (IBC) in Anjouan, appoint a local representative, and meet documentation requirements (incorporation papers, AML/KYC protocols, business plan, game developer agreements, proof of domain ownership, RNG testing, and financial records). ​
• Fit and proper test: Directors, shareholders, and ultimate beneficial owners will undergo integrity checks, including checks for criminal records and financial ability and capability checks. ​
• Cost and timeframe: Standard licensing is €5,000 and can go as high as the scope of the business, with the paid-up capital usually being €250,000 for larger operations. Processing usually takes from three weeks (for standard license applications) to two months (for more complex license applications). ​
• Validity: Licenses are valid for one year, and once the license is renewed, the applicant will undergo annual integrity and compliance checks. ​

Table 2: Anjouan Gambling License Requirements

Taxation and Compliance Details

• No Local Gaming Tax: International business companies (IBCs) are not considered local tax residents of Anjouan; hence, gross gaming revenues are not subject to local taxes. ​
• Annual Fees: Licensees must pay both initial and annual fees for registration. 
• Compliance Obligations: Mandatory AML/CFT (anti-money laundering/combating financing of terrorism) regulations are in place: suspicious activity must be reported, player protections (e.g., responsible gaming policies, age restrictions), secure payments, audits scheduled every 3 years, and appointment of AML officers. 
• Jurisdictional Restrictions: Licensed IBCs must not solicit local (Comorian) residents, but may advertise and conduct business internationally, enabling cross-border business expansion.

Upcoming Changes in Legislation

We anticipate the Comoros regulatory environment will further evolve in 2025 to:

• Increase process transparency and digitalization
• Strengthen the responsible gambling framework
• Increase blockchain/crypto gaming coverage
• Implement a tougher AML and cybersecurity framework
• Improve ease of onboarding for new market entrants and startups

Competitive Landscape

The competitive environment in Comoros is characterized by the rapid emergence of international operators using Anjouan’s cost-effective alternative gaming license. By 2025, most of the competitors in the market will be worldwide brands, B2B service providers, white-label casino operators, and sports betting sites with a target audience well beyond the islands themselves.

Table 3: Comoros Competitive Landscape

Key Market Players

International Operators:

• Most licensed operations targeting the Comoros iGaming space are established global brands, including casino aggregators, sports betting companies, and software developers.
• These companies take advantage of permit flexibility to roll out platforms targeting Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. You will also see internationally recognized brands that are multi-vertical gaming sites (casino, betting, lottery, poker, eSports) in the Comoro space. 
• There are very few truly local Comorian operators; Comoros is valued solely for its ability to onboard foreign groups seeking an effective regulatory pathway to a global customer base.

Leading Brands:

• “No limit” casinos and high-roller betting sites in particular, are prevalent, focusing on players who do not want deposit, withdrawal, and betting limits. 
• Top operators concentrate on transaction speed, availability of games, and large bonus structures.

Market Share Distribution

Partnerships and Strategic Alliances

Common Strategies:

• Operators are building partnerships with global payment processors, fintechs, and compliance solution providers to enable mobile money, e-wallets, and crypto payments.
• White-label and software-as-a-service partnerships accelerate platform launches for new entrants cost-effectively.
• Strategic partnerships include affiliate activity and marketing relationships to mine regional and global influencers to scale player acquisition.

Key Features of Partnerships:

• Integration of instant payment methods (including crypto and mobile banking)
• Harnessing AI for fraud monitoring, responsible gambling, and personalized experiences for players
• Heavy reliance on compliance technology for global activation

Consumer Trends

Player Behavior and Preferences

• Gambling on mobile: The majority of iGaming action will take place over smartphones. This reflects a broader trend in Africa, along with limited access to bank branches and ATMs in Comoros. Players enjoy applications and platforms that offer instant play, fast payouts, and active important events via mobile.
• Gambler favorites: Casino games (slots and live dealer tables), sports betting (mostly football and basketball), and instant lottery products are popular choices among younger players, and poker and eSports are becoming more relevant
• Strict Expectations for Quick Payouts, Seamless User Experience (UX): Gamblers in Comoros reacted extremely well to applications or platforms that allowed for instant withdrawal mechanics, easy registration, and integrated mobile.

Payment Methods and Technological Trends

• Mobile money platforms represent the dominant payment option, enabling deposits, withdrawals, and bill payments using mobile wallets or apps provided by network operators. These solutions offer the ability to avoid the formal banking system and allow for greater financial inclusion in remote and unbanked areas.
• Many people and families around the world rely on remittances sent by relatives abroad and which are typically sent via digital wallets, so recipients have immediate access. Payment rails are evolving at a rapid pace, with digital wallets offering new local payment methods that offer more than 250 local methods and facilitate many currencies as well as multiple digital assets.
• The rapid growth of fintech solutions enables firms to offer instant settlement, real-time money transfers, interfaces with their suppliers or customers, and reliance on AI-powered smart routing, and provides significant transactional savings in transactional speed and cost for the operator. Multi-currency payment acceptance, as well as ewallet settlement in local currencies, must be offered to meet the expectations of players.

Table 4: Payment Methods & Technology Adoption

Social and Cultural Influences

• Financial Inclusion: Approximately half of the population doesn’t use formal banks, which makes mobile money critical for survival beyond gaming. Gaming operators need to service cash-primed, but digitally-savvy, participants.
• Trust and Digital Literacy: Local sentiment still expresses some hesitance with digital platforms from a security perspective, and cannot disregard the challenges presented by limited digital literacy. Operators should focus on building trust with their communities by providing transparent payouts and responsive user support.
• Community and Family: Many gambling decisions for consumers are affected by family ties and remittance flow, highlighting the role social factors play in platform engagement.

Opportunities & Challenges

Comoros has significant growth potential for both new and existing businesses for several reasons: 

1. Good value for licensing (licensing fees are low), rapid startup development, and no gaming tax. They have the added benefit of allowing operators to run operations across multiple verticals (casino, betting, software, eSports, GameFi) in one license. 
2. Comoros also has modernized payment systems allowing mobile money, remittances in the local currency, and digital wallets around the world. 
3. They are rapidly digitalizing the licensing and compliance function that is likely to be of interest to digital pioneers. 

Comoros also has challenges, including: 

1. A relatively small local market size means global operators must capture players, 
2. Underdeveloped infrastructure (e.g., internet coverage, digital literacy) is likely hampering growth outside urban centers, 
3. Regulatory adoption and evolution — meaning both gaps and compliance obligations are ever-changing, and 
4. Economic volatility around foreign exchange and GDP affects what players spend and manage operational risk.  

Conclusion & Recommendations

With Anjouan’s active licensing framework determining the Comoros’ newly realized stature for operators pursuing fast, mass-entry into global iGaming marketplaces, the Comoros’ regulatory landscape, affordable licensing, and tax-favorable stature for growth potential as users, it is equally important, all operators entering must also consider proper investment in payment innovation, compliance technology, and responsible gaming standards. Industry stakeholders must establish strategic relationships with fintech partners, adopt a “mobile-first” gaming approach to solve existing payment hurdles, and recognize the importance of change as development occurs among regulations within the iGaming community. Although connotation-specific growth may not be dramatic locally, the jurisdiction’s position offers a significant opportunity for expansion on global platforms and innovation for this operating environment during 2025+ and beyond. 

With the above in mind, and from an operator/investor perspective, the recommendations are highlighted below:

• Use Anjouan licensing as a stepping stone for fast market access and innovation.
• Prioritize the integration of mobile and digital payment solutions.
• Remain updated on the ever-evolving legal and compliance landscape.
• Make the necessary investment in fraud, anti-money laundering (AML), and responsible gaming solutions.
• Ensure that your gaming content can be accessible for global player use and not just domestic players.

Future Outlook for the iGaming Sector in Comoros

The outlook for the future of iGaming in the Comoros as a jurisdiction is bright, and continued growth is expected in this modality as payment frameworks continue to develop and regulations are clarified. With strategic planning and valuing the ethics of gaming, the Comoros jurisdiction is primed for advancement within the global gambling framework.

Data and Sources:

1. Offshore Pro Group: Overview of Comoros gambling license benefits, business models, and market growth dynamics. 
2. Legal Bison: Comprehensive guide to Anjouan gambling license costs, requirements, and regulatory procedures. 
3. Global Law Experts: Practical requirements and compliance obligations for obtaining a gambling license in Comoros (Anjouan). 
4. Europeangaming.eu: Emerging offshore gaming jurisdictions, key international players, and strategic alliances. 
5. Comoros Technology Digest: Profile of “no limit” casinos and their impact in the Comoros market, market share trends. 
6. Transfi: In-depth explanation of Comoros’ mobile payment rails and fintech innovation driving consumer trends and financial inclusion. 
7. Focus Gaming News: News coverage of the national payment switch and its influence on gambling growth in Comoros. 

Join us on for early access to the latest igaming videos!

Get notified about our video interviews, slot reviews and other exciting video content. All our videos are published on YouTube first.

Subscribe

Connect with us on and get the latest igaming news first!

Stay up to date with the latest news from the iGaming industry. Check out our interviews, reviews, news and videos. Be the first to know when a story breaks.

Follow