The “Western Sahara Gambling License” Scam: What It Is, Why It’s Risky, and How to Spot It
- Tradepass International Tax LLC
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
If you’ve spent any time around iGaming, you already know the playbook: a “new jurisdiction” appears, promises fast approval, low fees, minimal due diligence, and a license that supposedly opens doors with banks, payment processors, and partners.
One of the most visible examples right now is the so-called “International Gambling License” marketed under the name “Central Reserve Authority of Western Sahara” (often branded as CRA of SADR / CRASADR). Multiple industry sources have warned that this “regulator” is not a legitimate gaming authority and functions as a license-selling scheme.
This post explains what’s being offered, the most obvious red flags, and a practical checklist to protect your business.
What is the “Western Sahara gambling license” being sold?
Several websites present the “Central Reserve Authority of Western Sahara” as a regulator that issues various “international” licenses, including an “International Gambling License.”
The same ecosystem also positions a private company as the key gatekeeper. For example:
The CRASADR website directs inquiries to a “main agent,” WS Management and Advisory, and other pages list WS MANAGEMENT AND ADVISORY CORPORATION LTD as the “licensed representative.”
A separate site describes WS Management and Advisory Corporation as the “official representative” and “only” certified agent for obtaining these services.
On top of that, there’s a downloadable “conditions of license” PDF that reads like a generic template (including references to broad “Banking Act” language and one-year expiration terms).
Why many professionals call it “fake” (and why that matters)
Two core facts make this especially dangerous:
1) Western Sahara is a disputed territory with complex political status
Western Sahara has been on the UN list of Non-Self-Governing Territories since 1963 and remains subject to a long-running dispute.
That doesn’t automatically mean nothing can be regulated there—but it does mean that any “international regulator” claim deserves extreme skepticism because recognition, enforcement, and cross-border legitimacy become the whole ball game.
2) Independent warnings say the “regulator” is a license-selling front, not a real authority
Trade and compliance commentary has explicitly described the “Central Reserve Authority of Western Sahara” as a phoney regulator targeting financial and gambling firms.
A separate “Scam Alert” write-up similarly characterizes it as a scam-style “regulator” designed to sell worthless authorizations.
Whether you call it “fake,” “phoney,” or “not credible,” the practical consequence is the same: banks, PSPs, app stores, game suppliers, and serious counterparties are unlikely to treat the document as a license. And if you represent it as such, you can create regulatory, contractual, and fraud/misrepresentation exposure.
Red flags that strongly suggest it’s not a legitimate gaming license
Here are the most common warning signs—many of which show up in this case:
A) “Regulator” + “licensed agent” funnel
A genuine regulator typically publishes rules, enforcement actions, public registers, and official contact paths. In this ecosystem, the websites repeatedly push applicants through a private “agent/representative.”
B) Geographic mismatch signals
One report notes that the only listed phone numbers on the “regulator” site were from Cyprus and Greece—a mismatch that raises obvious questions about operational reality.
C) Generic “license conditions” language
The “Conditions of License” document includes broad claims and legal references (e.g., “Banking Act of 2017” / “Financial Institutions Law”) that look like boilerplate rather than a jurisdiction-specific, enforceable gambling framework.
D) Heavy marketing claims, light regulatory substance
The pitch is often “fast,” “cheap,” and “easy,” while concrete items are missing or thin:
published regulations and technical standards
AML/CTF guidance aligned to recognized frameworks
public licensee register with verifiable entries
enforcement history (sanctions, suspensions, fines)
clear dispute resolution / player protection regime
When those are absent, “the license” is usually just a PDF.
Who appears to operate it?
Public reporting and publicly accessible corporate records connect the ecosystem to WS Management and Advisory entities.
For example, an investigative cybersecurity report discusses CRASADR and WS Management and Advisory Corporation Ltd, and references corporate links associated with that operation.
The UK Companies House listing confirms a company by that name exists and provides its official filing record (which is useful for identifying entities, even if it doesn’t validate what they claim to regulate). Ws Management and Advisory was incorporated 22 September 2023 (registered office 120 Baker Street, London W1U 6TU; SIC 66190. The incorporation documents show GBP 1 share capital and its ownership/control and directors shifted several times. Initially Mr. Charles Kasmierski (director from 22 Sep 2023; resigned 14 May 2024; then Ms Zuleyha Menekse (director appointed and resigned 16 May 2024, and since 4 June 2024 Ms Vira Krychka (director appointed 4 Jun 2024 and current PSC notified the same date, with ≥75% shares/votes). Ms. Vira Krychka is a Ukrainian citizen who is currently 26 years old.
The key point for due diligence isn’t “who is it” so much as: a private company selling documents is not the same thing as a government-backed regulator issuing a license.
A due diligence checklist for any iGaming license offer
If someone pitches you a “new” license—especially one marketed as offshore/low-cost—run this checklist before you spend a cent:
Find the legal basis
Is there an actual law/regulation (not just a web page) establishing the regulator and giving it gaming authority?
Check recognition by counterparties
Ask your PSP/bank/suppliers in writing whether they accept that jurisdiction’s license.
Verify the public register
Is there a searchable register of licensees with license numbers, status, and dates?
Look for enforcement
Real regulators publish actions: warnings, penalties, suspensions, revocations.
Confirm operational substance
Physical address, staffing, governance, fit-and-proper standards, audit requirements, AML reporting obligations.
Watch for agent-only pipelines
If every path leads to “contact our exclusive agent,” treat it as a sales operation until proven otherwise.
Applied here, the public warnings and the “agent funnel” pattern are exactly why the Western Sahara “license” is widely viewed as unsafe.
If you already paid (or you’re being pressured to)
If you’re already in conversations or have paid for one of these documents:
Stop representing it as a gaming license to customers/PSPs/investors until competent counsel confirms otherwise.
Preserve all communications (emails, invoices, Telegram/WhatsApp chats, wallet addresses).
Run partner risk checks immediately (PSP, bank, game suppliers) to avoid sudden account closure.
Consider a clean re-licensing plan in a recognized jurisdiction if you need a real regulatory perimeter.
Bottom line
The “Western Sahara gambling license” marketed via CRASADR / CRA of SADR carries multiple high-risk indicators and has been explicitly flagged as a phoney/scam regulator by third-party sources.
For any serious operator, the downside—banking and PSP access issues, weak contractual enforceability, reputational damage, and potential legal exposure—massively outweighs any perceived “speed” advantage. In conclusion, the Western Sahara gambling license appears to be a scam. It is yet another “license” marketed out of a contested territory at the center of a fierce, long-running conflict, where there is no credible public authority, no reliable judicial system, and little to no effective oversight of licensees (the same dynamic I described when discussing the Anjouan gambling license). Don’t buy dreams with real cash!
If you’ve been offered a “Western Sahara” (CRASADR/CRA of SADR) gambling license—or you’re already using one in marketing, banking/PSP onboarding, or investor decks—don’t guess. Tradepass International Tax LLC (Andrea Ricci, CPA) can help you pressure-test the license’s credibility, document the red flags for your compliance file, and map a safer licensing + entity structure that stands up to banking/PSP scrutiny and cross-border tax reporting. Contact Andrea Ricci, CPA to schedule a confidential review and get a practical action plan before the issue becomes a frozen account, a terminated supplier relationship, or a misrepresentation claim. Also, consider getting a license from a reputable jurisdiction. A Costa Rica gambling license or a Rota online casino license can help you build a successful crypto or online casino by increasing credibility with players and suppliers. The online gambling market has become increasingly challenging over the last few years. That’s why it’s essential to hold a reliable gambling license from a reputable jurisdiction in order to succeed.
