A new research has found that the number of new non UK casinos are increasing across small island nations and territories. There have been over 20 jurisdictions now issued online gambling licences, with many of these new regimes appearing in response to tighter rules in Curaçao, the Philippines and the Isle of Man.
Researchers warned that these so-called “pseudo regulators” pose serious risks to players and sports integrity. Because they offer licences at lower costs and with much quicker approval times than established regulators, they have become appealing to operators, but they often provide minimal oversight. This environment has created opportunities for match-fixing, money laundering and poor gambling harm protection.
The most notable example is Anjouan, an autonomous island in the Comoros, which has rapidly become the most popular location. By May 2025, Anjouan Licensing Services reported 825 active internet gaming licences. Gambling operators are drawn to the jurisdiction because there is no tax on gross gaming revenue and licences are approved within three weeks, another perk with these offshore licenses is for online casinos to have the ability to accept credit card. Other locations surfacing include Timor Leste and the Northern Mariana Islands, both of which passed legislation in 2025 to allow internet gambling platforms targeting overseas players.
However, the rise of these regulators has coincided with a vast increase in player complaints. Data from Casino Guru showed that unresolved complaints involving Anjouan-licensed operators jumped by an enormous 90% in 2024, reaching 148 cases. The most common problems raised were blocked accounts, delaying withdrawals and failures to honor peoples requests to self exclude themselves. Unlike established regulators such as the Malta Gaming Authority, many of these new jurisdictions don’t have proper systems for independent dispute resolution, leaving players disgruntled and frustrated.
Ownership transparency is another key concern. While some countries like Estonia require full disclosure of beneficial owners, others, including Anjouan, impose very few due diligence requirements. This makes it almost impossible to track who is really behind the companies holding licences.
The study also brought to the surface the role of cryptocurrency in this growth. Offshore licences have become a natural fit for crypto gambling businesses, which have seen their gross gaming revenue increase x5 between 2022 and 2024, reaching a whopping $81.4 billion according to data from Yield Sec.
Experts have warned that the rapid increase of offshore regulators risks enabling illegal betting platforms while giving the impression they are legit. For bettors it means less safer gaming measures, harsher terms and conditions, and a higher risk of losing more money than you can afford.