Gibraltar

Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory with an English common-law system and particular strength in online gaming, insurance and distributed-ledger-technology (DLT) business. Its pragmatic and accessible regulators, close links to the UK market, a competitive corporate tax on Gibraltar-source profits with no VAT, capital gains or inheritance tax, and a pioneering DLT licensing framework make it a frequent home for regulated digital, gaming and insurance operators. Gibraltar is supervised by the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission (GFSC), with the Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner overseeing gaming and final appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.

The choice is between companies and trusts. The corporate vehicles are the company limited by shares under the Companies Act 2014, modeled on English law, and the protected cell company (PCC) used in insurance and funds. Trusts follow English principles and local statute and take discretionary, purpose or asset-protection form for succession and wealth holding, under GFSC-licensed trustees. In practice a PCC pays off only when cells must be ring-fenced from one another. Gibraltar-admitted counsel confirm the choice.

The fund regime centers on the Experienced Investor Fund (EIF) and private schemes under the Financial Services Act, for sophisticated and professional investors, calibrated for speed to market with experienced-investor safeguards. Gibraltar's early distributed-ledger-technology (DLT) provider framework licenses firms that use DLT to store or transmit value, with the GFSC testing applicants against nine regulatory principles. In practice, both routes reward governance the GFSC can inspect in Gibraltar. Locally admitted barristers and regulated providers confirm eligibility, manager arrangements and licensing.

Gibraltar taxes corporate income only where profits are Gibraltar-sourced, at a competitive rate, and has no value-added tax, capital gains tax or inheritance tax. It takes part in international transparency standards, including exchange-of-information arrangements, keeps a beneficial-ownership register, and subscribes to international anti-money-laundering and tax-cooperation standards. In practice, where profits are sourced is the question that decides the liability, so document the location of activity and management from the start. Gibraltar tax counsel confirm the treatment on the facts.

No. Hart David Carson LLP does not maintain an office in Gibraltar. We act as facilitator and project lead through our partner network of Gibraltar barristers, licensed corporate service providers, regulated trustees, insurance managers and gaming consultants, while locally admitted barristers and licensed providers carry the regulated mandate and provide the substantive Gibraltar legal advice. Any matter before the GFSC, the Gambling Commissioner or the Supreme Court of Gibraltar is conducted through those locally admitted professionals.

Hart David Carson LLP helps scope a Gibraltar company, fund, gaming or DLT license pathway, introduce the right barristers and regulated service providers, and coordinate the moving parts to one standard across time zones. We confirm the structure and the regulatory perimeter, assemble the appropriate local providers, sequence registry, licensing and onboarding steps, and keep a single partner accountable throughout, acting as facilitator alongside Gibraltar-admitted counsel. We are not the regulated provider.