Offshore casino blacklist to avoid 2026: ANJ safety guide

The offshore casino blacklist to avoid 2026 lists the sites blocked by the ANJ for non-compliance with French law. These platforms, often licensed in Curaçao or Anjouan like VegasPlus and MyStake, expose players to non-payment of winnings, theft of personal data, and the absence of legal recourse. Only licensed operators authorized by the National Gaming Authority offer guaranteed legal and financial protection.

Understanding the Blacklist and the ANJ's Administrative Blocking

The offshore casino blacklist to avoid 2026 lists the platforms that have been subject to a blocking decision by the National Gaming Authority (ANJ). This list remains incomplete. For absolute safety, prioritize licensed operators, as the absence of a site from this list does not guarantee its legality or the protection of the funds committed.

What is the ANJ's role in the fight against illegal sites?

The National Gaming Authority (ANJ), the French regulator succeeding ARJEL, has the primary mission of protecting players against illegal offers. It regularly publishes the list of banned sites to inform the public about the risks of fraud and the lack of legal recourse. Unlike historical operators like LA FRANCAISE DES JEUX, which appear on the legal whitelist, sites on the blacklist operate without a French license, exposing users to unrecoverable financial losses. The ANJ thus acts as an essential, albeit reactive, filter in the online gaming ecosystem.

How does the administrative blocking of ISPs work?

The protection mechanism relies on administrative blocking, a procedure introduced by Law No. 2010-476 of May 12, 2010, and recently reinforced. This system allows the National Gaming Authority (ANJ) to directly order internet service providers (ISPs) to block access to illegal sites, without waiting for a lengthy judicial procedure. This process allows for a faster response to the proliferation of unregulated offers. Law No. 2010-476 of May 12, 2010, therefore constitutes the legal foundation enabling this rapid response to the proliferation of unregulated offers.

What is the difference between the blacklist and the whitelist?

The distinction between the blacklist and the whitelist is fundamental. A site can be illegal simply because it does not hold a French license, even if it does not yet appear on the ANJ's blacklist. Only authorized operators, such as those supervised by the National Gaming Authority (ANJ), offer the legal guarantees required in France. Checking the presence on the official list of licensed operators remains the only reliable method to avoid the traps of offshore casinos.

The Major Risks of Unlicensed Offshore Casinos

Consulting the offshore casino blacklist to avoid 2026 is not enough to guarantee your safety, as many illegal platforms still operate without immediate administrative blocking. By playing on these sites not regulated by the ANJ, you expose yourself directly to the non-payment of winnings, payment method fraud, and personal data theft. The absence of a French legal framework means that no legal recourse is possible in the event of a dispute, turning every deposit into a major financial risk for unwary players.

Why is non-payment of winnings common on these sites?

The non-payment of winnings is the most direct financial threat to users of illegal casinos. Unlike licensed operators who are required to segregate player funds, offshore sites have no legal obligation to keep your capital separate from their corporate cash flow. When you attempt to withdraw your winnings, these platforms can simply block your account or invoke unfair terms and conditions, knowing they are operating illegally and are unaccountable to anyone.

The lack of French regulation means a total impossibility of recourse. If a dispute arises, the player cannot contact any official mediator or initiate effective legal proceedings in France against an entity based outside the European Union. Repeat offending operators, like those identified by the Belgian authorities (CJH) under names such as Casino Hermes, multiply URLs to evade bans while maintaining these systematic non-payment practices.

How do payment method fraud and data theft occur?

Payment method fraud and personal data theft are intrinsically linked to the faulty technical infrastructure of banned sites. These platforms do not comply with the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), exposing users to cybercrime and the installation of malware without their knowledge. Your banking and identity information can be resold on the dark web or used for money laundering operations, an offense monitored in France by TRACFIN but impossible to trace effectively on opaque offshore servers.

The use of cryptocurrencies or instant payment services on these sites increases the danger. Without the protection of chargeback mechanisms offered by traditional bank cards, any transfer of funds to a blacklisted casino becomes irreversible. This lack of financial traceability facilitates scams where the operator disappears with players' deposits without leaving a trace that can be exploited by the authorities.

What are the risks associated with the lack of protection against addiction?

Blacklisted casinos completely ignore the General Regulations of the National Gaming Authority (RGC). They do not apply any measures to prevent excessive gambling, such as mandatory deposit or playtime limits, nor strict prohibition for minors. This lack of regulatory safeguards puts the mental and financial health of players at risk, leaving them isolated against algorithms designed to maximize engagement without ethical consideration.

Unlike licensed sites that must offer self-exclusion tools and report risky behavior, illegal platforms encourage continued play even in critical loss situations. Registering on these sites is tantamount to voluntarily accepting total exposure to the dangers of addiction, without any institutional safety net to protect vulnerable players.

Offshore Licenses and Operators to Avoid at All Costs in 2026

The 2026 offshore casino blacklist to avoid primarily targets platforms operating under permissive jurisdictions such as Curaçao or Anjouan, which lack legal guarantees in France. Operators such as VegasPlus, MyStake, and Casino Hermes regularly appear on it for illegal practices, exposing players to major risks of fraud and a lack of legal recourse.

Why are Curaçao and Anjouan licenses not enough?

Licenses issued by Curaçao and Anjouan are renowned for being easy to obtain and for their lack of rigor regarding the protection of players' personal data. Unlike the strict framework of the ANJ, these offshore jurisdictions offer no guarantee of payment or effective mediation in the event of a dispute. Legal experts point out that the entities behind these casinos often remain vague, frequently changing their name or URL while retaining their customer bases, making any legal action impossible for French players. This financial and administrative opacity constitutes a systemic risk for anyone attempting to play on these unregulated sites.

In addition, the lack of independent technical audits is critical. Licensed casinos in France use certified RNG (Random Number Generator) gaming software validated by organizations such as eCOGRA, guaranteeing fair draws. Offshore sites under weak licenses generally do not subject their algorithms to these strict controls, leaving room for software manipulations undetectable by the player.

What are the names of offshore casinos that are regularly blacklisted?

Several major operators systematically appear in ban reports. VegasPlus, despite holding a Curaçao licence, is explicitly blacklisted by the ANJ for its illegal activity on French territory. The same applies to MyStake, which is also linked to Curaçao and present on the official blacklist. These platforms exploit the lack of local regulation to offer gambling games that are banned in France. In Belgium, the Gaming Commission (CJH) has recently strengthened its surveillance against Casino Hermes, adding the URL casinohermes.vip to its blacklist after already blocking two other domains of this repeat offender at the end of 2024. These examples illustrate the persistence of these actors despite repeated administrative blocks.

Beware of Fake Sites Imitating Star Casino and Scooore

Typosquatting is another major threat, aiming to imitate legal brands. The April 2026 update of the CJH blacklist revealed 28 new URLs attempting to impersonate legal brands such as Star Casino and Scooore. These fraudsters copy the appearance and names of licensed platforms to deceive players and capture their banking details. It is crucial to verify the exact URL before logging in, as these illegal clones offer no protection against payment method fraud or the installation of malware.

Payment Security and Recourse: The Contrast with Approved Sites

Beyond simple legality, the fundamental difference lies in the payment and mediation infrastructures. Offshore sites often favor anonymous cryptocurrencies, while French operators integrate secure and traceable solutions like Trustly. The use of Trustly on licensed sites allows for secure instant transfers, protected by European banking standards, unlike irreversible transfers to obscure offshore wallets.

In the event of a dispute on an approved site, the player is not left alone. They can contact the Gaming Mediation Service, an independent body responsible for resolving conflicts between players and operators licensed by the ANJ. This recourse option is completely non-existent on blacklisted sites. Furthermore, the rise of betting on non-sporting events via platforms like Polymarket highlights the need for vigilance: these prediction markets, often blockchain-based, also fall outside the French regulatory framework and present similar risks to classic offshore casinos in terms of consumer protection.

About this article - Authoring & responsibility

Author:Sarah Weber (Casino tester & bonus analyst)
Verified by:Dr. Markus Hoffmann (Senior iGaming compliance analyst)
Last update: 2026-08-24.

This article on “offshore casino blacklist to avoid in 2026” was written by Sarah Weber and reviewed by Dr. Markus Hoffmann. Both regularly update the content to reflect regulatory changes, licenses, and bonus conditions. All references to licenses, authorities, or legal frameworks link to public sources (ANJ (National Gaming Authority), Law of May 12, 2010 on the opening of online gambling).

About the author

8+ years of casino testing, 200+ platforms personally tested in the EU and internationally. Former member of the eCOGRA Player Advocacy Program (2018-2022). Specialization: wagering requirements, withdrawal processes, customer support evaluation.

About the reviewer

12+ years in the iGaming industry, including 5 years in compliance consulting for operators licensed under the French ANJ framework. PhD in economic mathematics. Areas of expertise: bonus mathematics, wagering analysis, player protection measures.

Responsible gaming

Gambling can become addictive. If you feel you are losing control, contact Joueurs Info Service, SOS Joueurs, or use the national self-exclusion register (gambling exclusion file (FIJ)). Set deposit and loss limits before playing for real money. Breaks and cooldown tools are key to sustainable enjoyment.

Legal disclaimer

The information in this article is provided for editorial and comparative purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice. Players remain responsible for complying with local regulations.