Business Law and Corporate Law

Player funds occupy a distinctive position under Maltese gaming law. Although a licensed operator may receive, administer and transfer money standing to the credit of its players, those funds are not treated simply as part of the operator’s property or as an ordinary debt appearing on its balance sheet.

At its core, the case concerns a Luxembourg holding company (the “Company”) that had contractually agreed to bear the credit risk on loans managed by a related entity’s permanent establishment located in Luxembourg (the “Branch”), without disclosing this arrangement to the Luxembourg tax authorities (the “LTA”) and without receiving any compensation.

Malta’s company law framework may be taking an important step towards accommodating the infrastructure of digital capital markets.

In its recent decision in QPQ Limited v Schute [2026] IEHC 463, the High Court confirmed that it has an inherent jurisdiction to order the disclosure of litigation funding arrangements where there is a credible basis for believing the proceedings may be supported by unlawful third-party funding.

A Dutch court has ruled that parties who contractually waive their right to annul a share purchase agreement also forfeit the ability to seek judicial price adjustment under Article 6:230(2) of the Dutch Civil Code. This decision clarifies the scope of waiver clauses in M&A transactions and highlights critical drafting considerations for acquisition agreements, set-off rights across different dispute forums, and the high threshold for piercing the corporate veil in shareholder disputes.

Luxembourg has introduced a significant reform allowing founders to defer the EUR 12,000 minimum share capital payment for private limited liability companies (SARL) for up to 12 months after incorporation. This change eliminates the need for upfront bank account opening and capital contribution, enabling faster company formation and immediate business operations while maintaining shareholder liability for unpaid capital.

The Central Bank of Ireland has published its feedback report on delegation practices in the Irish funds sector, identifying both effective frameworks and areas requiring enhancement across governance, oversight, and control mechanisms. Fund management companies must now conduct gap analyses and implement board-approved remediation plans by year-end 2026 to address identified deficiencies in their delegation arrangements.

Malta’s company law framework may be taking an important step towards accommodating the infrastructure of digital capital markets.

The Central Bank of Ireland has completed a comprehensive review of delegation practices across the Irish funds sector, examining governance frameworks, oversight arrangements, and control mechanisms employed by fund management companies. While the review found generally positive compliance with regulatory requirements and supervisory expectations, it identified specific areas requiring enhancement, including board independence, resource allocation, and data management capabilities. The Central Bank has set

On 26 February 2026, Directive (EU) 2026/470 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 February 2026, also known as the Omnibus I Directive...

To benefit, the IP owner must also meet the nexus requirement — i.e., the IP income must come from its own R&D activities (or outsourced to unrelated parties) that created the IP.

In practical terms, if your franchise model relies on the franchisee using the franchisor's proprietary software, operating system, or tech tools that were developed in-house, the portion of franchise income attributable to that IP could fall under the Cyprus IP Box