The Rise of Nexus International – Gurhan Kiziloz’s Self-Funded Company That Generated $1.2B Revenue in 2025

In an industry where outside capital often dictates scale and speed, Nexus International is rewriting the rulebook. In 2024, the gaming group posted $400 million in revenue, a figure that was already impressive for a company operating without any venture capital, private equity, or institutional debt. But in 2025, the numbers tripled. Nexus officially closed the year with $1.2 billion in revenue, marking the most significant growth phase in its history. At the center of this expansion is the business tycoon Gurhan Kiziloz, whose leadership, lean execution model, and refusal to dilute ownership have now turned Nexus into one of the largest privately held gaming companies on record.

This article explores how Nexus achieved this leap, without external funding, without a board, and without deviating from its founding principles. It’s a case study in conviction, timing, and operational discipline.

The 200% year-over-year revenue increase from 2024 to 2025 wasn’t driven by market hype or a one-off licensing win. Nexus International’s core platforms, Spartans.com, Lanistar, and Megaposta, have all seen user growth, but the single largest contributor to the surge was Spartans.com, the crypto-native casino platform that now competes directly with global operators like Stake and bet365.

Gurhan Kiziloz is known for rejecting bloated teams and excessive hierarchy. That culture permeates Nexus International. Unlike traditional gaming conglomerates with multiple department heads, venture boards, or global committees, Nexus operates with a centralized decision-making unit where Kiziloz personally oversees platform strategy, expansion pacing, and budget allocation.

This structure allowed the company to avoid delays that typically affect licensing, compliance, and product rollout. In Brazil, for example, Nexus’s Megaposta brand was one of the first to comply with the new regulatory framework under Law 14,790/2023, giving it a head start in onboarding and retention. While larger competitors stumbled over local requirements, Nexus had already secured its position and built brand equity.

This lean strategy also applies to infrastructure. The $200 million in platform improvements over the last 18 months came from accumulated profit, not loans or funding rounds. That’s nearly unheard of for a gaming company scaling at this level.

When companies hit a billion in revenue, it usually comes with headlines about IPO filings, Series D rounds, or PE exits. But not for Nexus. Kiziloz has made it clear that he has no interest in public listings or venture dilution. Every dollar earned by the company remains within the company, or under his sole ownership.

It’s a stance that’s both rare and intentional. “There’s nothing impressive about hitting $1 billion in revenue if you had to give away the company to do it,” Kiziloz told Gulf News. That ethos has shielded Nexus from investor demands, short-term earnings pressures, and executive bloat.

With full control comes speed. The company’s operational rhythm is tighter, its margin discipline sharper, and its growth objectives clearer. As of now, Nexus has over 40 market entries and a footprint across Latin America, Europe, and select Asian jurisdictions. All of it built without financial dependency on anyone but itself.

The driving force behind Nexus International isn’t just its products or platform, it’s Gurhan Kiziloz’s strategy. His approach strips away everything he believes slows down business: investor politics, comfort-zone hires, and vague roadmaps. In its place is a simple structure: small team, clear roles, fast action.

He’s repeatedly stated that bankruptcy didn’t scare him, what scared him was running a company he didn’t own. That conviction is why he remained self-funded even during the toughest periods of scaling.

Kiziloz’s leadership is often described as uncompromising. Former team members say the standard is clear: deliver or leave. But that clarity has bred an operational culture capable of doing what most externally funded companies only promise. Hit targets. Scale fast. Keep control.

While $1.2 billion is a historic milestone, Kiziloz doesn’t see it as a victory lap. In a recent quote, he stated plainly:

“We’re not calling $1.2 billion a milestone. There’s much more scale to build. I’d call $100 billion a turning point. That’s where we’re going.”

Whether or not Nexus hits the $100B mark in the coming decade remains to be seen. But if its growth rate continues anywhere near its current pace, and if it retains the same capital discipline, it could become the largest self-funded gaming company of its kind.

One thing’s clear: Gurhan Kiziloz didn’t just build a company. He built a model for upcoming entrepreneurs to take inspiration & win.

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