Gentoo Media
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Gentoo eyeing up more M&A opportunities in post-GiG era

Leadership of Gentoo Media stated that the firm will pursue strategic acquisitions to build on a decent financial performance in its first year under a new structure and brand name.

Mikael Harstad, Chairman of the Board and Jonas Warrer, CEO, laid out the company’s objective to ‘grow and diversify our business’ following growth across both revenue and EBITDA in 2024.

The firm’s full year financials, published earlier this year and reaffirmed this month, saw a 39% year-over-year increase in revenue from £88.6m to £122.8m. EBITDA, meanwhile, grew 44% from £39.5m to £56.7m, with a margin of 46% (2023: 45%).

Last year proved to be a particularly transformational one for Gentoo, which completed its rebrand from ‘GiG Media’ in September. The new name had been announced earlier that year when the strategic divestment of Gaming Innovation Group’s (GiG) assets was completed in June 2024.

A long-term B2B player in the global sports betting and iGaming landscape, GiG consisted of two divisions for many years – its media services and affiliate business, and its sportsbook and platform business.

In 2023, however, the company opted to split in two, the end result being the continuation of sportsbook and platform under the GiG umbrella and the spin off of its affiliate business as Gentoo.

The new company’s leadership now summarise its corporate approach as prioritising high-value markets, optimising operational efficiencies and investment in its assets, technology and data. This has already driven ‘sustainable and long-term growth’, Harstad and Warrer asserted.

“The gambling affiliate landscape remains dynamic and we are determined to stay ahead of the curve by leveraging new technologies, forging innovative partnerships, and expanding our footprint in key markets,” a statement signed by the duo read.

Six pillars for Gentoo’s new dawn

Taking another look at the numbers, as it readies itself to take on the rest of 2025 Gentoo’s portfolio consists of over 150 websites. This major, widely read brands like KaFe Rocks and AskGamblers.com, while it has also moved to support these activities with acquisitions like that of Titan Inc, an SEO studio.

Although revenue was up considerably, the group’s average customer numbers remained more or less steady. Total player intake was up marginally from 471,440 to 471,470, though as made clear above this has not had much of an impact on the firm’s bottom line – net profit rose 83% from €12.9m to €23.6m.

Gentoo’s post-GiG transition will see the firm promise six different strategic pillars. This will include diversification, with the company looking to ensure a broad range of markets, websites and partners, alongside the aforementioned investment in technology to ensure products remain as efficient as possible.

It is also targeting organic growth by strengthening in-house operations, expanding its global reach and brand visibility via new partnerships, and prioritising recurring revenue through what it calls ‘predictable and sustainable’ revenue streams.

Lastly, the company states that it will pursue M&A activities where possible, with the end goal of scaling operations and further boosting top-line revenue growth.

Based on this, Gentoo acquiring more affiliate and media sites to better compete with the likes of Better Collective, OneTwenty Group, FairPlay Sports Media and others, could be a strong possibility this year.

“The strong foundation built in 2024 positions us for success in 2025, as we move forward with confidence, focus, and momentum,” Harstad and Warrer concluded.

“Guided by transparency, innovation, and strategic execution, we remain committed to sustainable growth, strengthening our market leadership, and maximising long-term value for our shareholders.”

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