Comoros Seeks UK Help Over Anjouan Gambling License Network

The request came to light in an October 19 investigation by The Guardian. Comorian officials said British citizens had been identified in connection with unauthorized licensing activities, while the government was preparing legal proceedings at home.

UK Request Adds to Earlier Warnings

Comoros is seeking assistance through financial intelligence and police cooperation. Officials did not give the date of their request to Britain, and the UK Treasury declined to comment on the matter.

The Guardian also examined the scale of Anjouan’s gambling business. Its public license register contained nearly 1,500 holders, including numerous crypto casinos. The investigation traced connections between companies promoting those licenses and British businessmen.

Two Anjouan Firms Named in December Notice

The Central Bank of the Comoros had already identified problems with offshore licensing in December 2025. Its December 10 communiqué named Anjouan Offshore Finance Authority and Anjouan Corporates Services among organizations claiming to issue financial authorizations without legal powers.

The bank reported referring cases to prosecutors in Moroni, Mutsamudu and Mohéli. It also warned foreign authorities about fraudulent offshore financial activity connected to the country.

A separate Finance Ministry notice published that day addressed unauthorized forex and cryptocurrency licenses. Neither notice explicitly addressed the cancellation of gambling licenses.

Anjouan Gaming’s website names the Anjouan Offshore Financial Authority as its regulator. It relies on legislation from 2005 and says a legal opinion, reconfirmed in February 2026, supports the validity of its gaming permits.

UK Records Show Two Controllers Since August

The Guardian linked the licensing network to ACS Global Custodian Ltd, a British company registered under number 10741133. The Persons with significant control and Filing history sections of its Companies House record show the following sequence:

• December 1, 2022. The company recorded a statement saying it knew of no registrable person or entity with significant control.
• August 3, 2026. Elliot Richard Sorsky and Harold John Sorsky became registrable controllers. Each is listed with more than 25%, but no more than 50%, of shares and voting rights.
• September 25, 2026. Notifications for both controllers were filed, together with a filing withdrawing the earlier statement.

Harold Sorsky disputes the company’s involvement in current gambling licensing. He told The Guardian that ACS Global Custodian had stopped providing gaming licenses after its takeover in 2023 and that another provider subsequently handled the work. The filings identify the company’s disclosed controllers rather than the business currently processing Anjouan gaming applications.

What License Checks Cannot Establish

Anjouan’s public register allows payment providers and gaming suppliers to check whether an operator holds a listed license and when it expires. It does not independently establish whether the issuing authority has the legal powers it claims, leaving that question unresolved for companies relying on those records.