Offshore Casinos: What a Licence Abroad Really Means

Our short answer

An offshore casino is one licensed, or claiming to be licensed, outside the country where its players live. Most offshore casinos that take players from English-speaking countries name Anjouan (Comoros), Curaçao or the Tobique Gaming Commission in New Brunswick, Canada. Some name only a company registered in Costa Rica.

A licence abroad means a regulator somewhere has issued a permit. It does not mean your country allows the casino, that your local regulator can help you, or that your self-exclusion applies there. When we checked 58 offshore casinos, 19 had a licence we could confirm in a register, and one of those has since expired.

What makes a casino offshore

• Anjouan (Comoros). The Anjouan Gaming Authority issues licences and publishes a public register that lists the licensee, the domain and the validity dates.
• Curaçao. Curaçao moved to a new licensing system in 2024, run by the Curaçao Gaming Authority. Its register cannot be searched as a full list, so we could not match casinos by domain.
• Tobique Gaming Commission. A First Nation regulator in New Brunswick, Canada. Several casinos in our data cite it.
• Costa Rica. Many operators are Costa Rica companies. A company registration is not a gambling licence, and PlayCasino notes that Costa Rica does not issue online casino licences.

Offshore does not mean unlicensed, and licensed does not mean safe. Our register check shows both.

Offshore and locally licensed casinos compared

Question	Locally licensed casino	Offshore casino
Who handles complaints	Your national regulator, often with an approved dispute service	The casino, then the regulator that issued the licence abroad
National self-exclusion such as GAMSTOP or BetStop	Must take part where the law requires it	Does not take part
Rules on bonuses, limits and advertising	Set by your country’s regulator	Set by the offshore licence and the casino’s own terms
ID checks	Required	Usually required before withdrawals, in the terms we read
Allowed to serve your country	Yes, within the licence	Often not; it depends on your country
Payment options	Local methods; some countries ban credit cards for gambling	Often wider, with crypto common

How we chose

We recorded the licence each of the 58 casinos in our database claims, and where the claim comes from. On 30 October 2026 we downloaded the full Anjouan public register (1,258 entries) and matched each casino by its own domain, not by brand name. We flagged claims we could not find and entries whose dates had passed. The full method and data are in our offshore casino licence audit.

Register result	Casinos	What it means
Listed in the Anjouan register	19	A licence was issued for the casino’s own domain; one has since expired
Claims Anjouan, not in the register	7	The claim could not be found
Costa Rica company only, or no licence	19	A company registration is not a gambling licence
Curaçao or Tobique claim, not checked	13	Those registers cannot be searched as a full list

We picked the casinos below because they show what an offshore licence claim can hide: claims that are not in the register, valid licences held by casinos with serious red flags, and dates that change. We have not tested any of them with our own money. How positions are set is explained in how we review.

Offshore casinos in our data: what the register shows

Casino	Licence claimed	Register result	Licence status	Our position
Casinacho	Anjouan, number ALSI-182407008-FI1 (claimed by an affiliate site)	Not found	Not found	We do not recommend
Winairlines	Anjouan, the same number ALSI-182407008-FI1 (per SlotCatalog)	Not found	Not found	We do not recommend
Goldzino	Anjouan (per AskGamblers)	Not found	Not found	We do not recommend
HappyJokers	Anjouan (per Casino.guru)	Not found	Not found	We do not recommend
Roby Casino	Anjouan (per AskGamblers)	Not found	Not found	We do not recommend
SpinAlto	Anjouan (per listings, no number)	Not found	Not found	We do not recommend
SpinsOfGlory	Anjouan (per AskGamblers and Casino Guru)	Not found	Not found	We do not recommend
Dracula Casino	Anjouan, ALSI-202409012-FI1	Found, valid to 6 September 2027	Valid	We do not recommend
DaytonaSpin	Anjouan, ALSI-202509029-FI1	Found, valid to 15 September 2027	Valid	We do not recommend
Betsio	Anjouan, ALSI-202410047-FI2	Found; renewed, now valid to 17 October 2027	Valid	Not yet tested
Lucknation	Anjouan, ALSI-102310002-FI5	Found, but the licence expired on 4 October 2026	Expired	Not yet tested
Zizobet	Curaçao, OGL/2024/1798/1048	Curaçao register not checked	Not checked	We do not recommend
LegionBet	None; Costa Rica company registration only	No licence to check	No licence	We do not recommend

Two points stand out. Casinacho and Winairlines are both linked to the same licence number, and that number is not in the Anjouan register. And a real licence does not settle the question: on 9 July 2026 the Swedish Gambling Authority banned Softon Ltd, the company the register lists for Dracula Casino, from providing games in Sweden without a licence.

How to check an offshore licence yourself

1. Find the licence number and the company name in the casino’s footer or terms.
2. Open the regulator’s register from the regulator’s own website, not from a link or seal on the casino page.
3. Search for the exact domain you are on, not only the brand name. Lookalike domains are common.
4. Check that the licensee in the register matches the company named in the casino’s terms.
5. Check the status and the expiry date. A licence can lapse, as Lucknation’s did.
6. If you cannot find the casino, ask support in writing for the register entry. No clear answer is an answer.

What to watch out for

• Self-exclusion does not follow you. Offshore casinos do not honour national schemes such as GAMSTOP in the UK or BetStop in Australia. If you have self-excluded, please do not use an offshore casino to get around it.
• Complaints are harder. Your own regulator cannot act for you. Contact the casino first, then the regulator that issued its licence.
• Company is not licence. A Costa Rica company number is a business registration, not a gambling permit.
• Lookalike domains. Dracula Casino, GreatSlots and HadesBet all have lookalike sites, many claiming a UK Gambling Commission licence without evidence.
• Dates and status. Lucknation’s licence expired on 4 October 2026. Betsio’s entry was renewed to 17 October 2027 after its old date passed. Check the date each time you deposit.
• Strict terms behind big offers. AeroBet sets 700x wagering on most table games and caps withdrawals at EUR 500 a day, per LCB. Our wagering calculator shows what a bonus really costs.

If something goes wrong

Raise the problem with the casino in writing and keep copies of messages, screenshots and transaction IDs. If that fails, complain to the regulator that issued the licence. Review sites such as AskGamblers and Casino Guru also run complaint services, and our reviews summarise each casino’s complaint record where we have it.

Online gambling is for adults aged 18 and over, or older where local law says so. Help and blocking tools are on our responsible gambling page.

FAQ

Are offshore casinos legal?

That depends on your country, not on the licence. In the UK a casino needs a Gambling Commission licence to serve UK players, and in Australia the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 bans offering online casino games to Australians. An offshore licence does not override those rules.

Is an Anjouan licence a real licence?

Yes, if it is in the register and still in date. The Anjouan Gaming Authority issues licences and publishes a public register, and we found 19 casinos in it. It is still an offshore licence, so it does not give you the protections of your own country’s regulator.

Why do you not recommend some casinos with a valid licence?

Our criteria go beyond the licence. Unpaid winnings, ignored self-exclusion requests, a regulator ban or terms that allow confiscating winnings can each put a casino on “We do not recommend”.

Why are Curaçao licences marked “not checked”?

The Curaçao and Tobique registers cannot be searched as a full list, so we could not match them by domain. “Not checked” does not mean “fake”.

Do offshore casinos ask for ID?

Usually, yes. In the terms we read, offshore casinos check ID, address and payment method before withdrawals, and some reserve the right to ask at any time.

Are winnings from offshore casinos taxed?

Tax follows where you live, not where the casino is licensed. UK players do not pay tax on gambling winnings, while US players must report them as income. Ask a tax adviser about your own case.