Revealed: African island fights offshore gambling network linked to UK family
Source: The Guardian ·
London-based property investors deny selling licences to casinos claiming to be based on Anjouan, a tiny Indian Ocean islandThe island of Anjouan, rising out of the Indian Ocean between Mozambique and Madagascar, is a corner of the Earth that few people have heard of, let alone laid eyes on.Known as Nzwani in the local language, this tiny volcanic island – one of a collection that make up the…
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The island of Anjouan, rising out of the Indian Ocean between Mozambique and Madagascar, is a corner of the Earth that few people have heard of, let alone laid eyes on. Known as Nzwani in the local language, this tiny volcanic island – one of a collection that make up the Union of Comoros – counts ylang-ylang oil and vanilla among its chief exports. Yet Anjouan has stumbled into a role at the heart of a much more dangerous but highly lucrative industry: underground online gambling. The African island has become notorious for selling licences to rogue casinos, many operating illegally. Some appear to be targeting vulnerable customers, while others have been accused of refusing to pay out winnings. At least one appears to be chasing British gamblers, via high-profile stunts involving the porn actor Bonnie Blue and the far-right activist known as Tommy Robinson. But Anjouan is not some maverick backwater, wilfully flouting international law. Instead, the island’s name seems to have been…