Self-Made Billionaire Gurhan Kiziloz Hits $1.7 Billion Fortune – And Says He’s Just Getting Started

Gurhan Kiziloz has told industry observers he is determined to become one of the most significant figures in global gaming and cryptocurrency, and puts his extraordinary wealth down to ‘execution, discipline, and refusing to take outside capital’.

Mr Kiziloz has a fortune of $1.7 billion, having built Nexus International into a $1.2 billion revenue gaming empire and founded BlockDAG, a Layer-1 blockchain project. His wealth is derived from the Spartans.com brand and his existing stake in Nexus International, all built without a single dollar of venture capital or private equity backing.

The self-made businessman has seen his gaming group triple revenue in just twelve months, from $400 million in 2024 to $1.2 billion in 2025. The growth trajectory has positioned him as one of the fastest-rising figures in online gaming, competing against publicly traded giants like Flutter Entertainment and Entain.

A $800 million revenue increase in a single year meant Nexus International transformed from a mid-tier operator into a genuine industry contender. The original target for 2025 was $1.45 billion in revenue. Nexus missed it by $250 million, with profit dipping 7 percent by year end, a direct consequence of aggressive reinvestment into expansion.

‘I will just have to keep building,’ is the implicit message from Kiziloz’s actions, if not his words. The shortfall has not altered his approach. He set an aggressive target, fell short, and is setting another aggressive target. The methodology remains unchanged.

Kiziloz made his fortune from online gaming platforms and cryptocurrency infrastructure. His flagship casino brand, Spartans.com, received a $200 million internal investment during 2025, funding platform expansion, multi-jurisdictional licensing, and high-profile marketing commitments, including a sponsorship of Argentina’s national football team.

The platform now features over 5,900 games, processes both cryptocurrency and fiat payments, and offers instant withdrawals, addressing friction points that legacy operators have been slower to resolve. User experience is localised by market rather than standardised globally, a detail that matters in a sector where deposit delays and withdrawal queues directly impact customer retention.

Spartans.com recently launched what may be the most audacious marketing initiative in crypto casino history: a giveaway for the MANSORY Jesko Spartans Edition, a one-of-one hypercar custom-built by German tuning house MANSORY using a Koenigsegg Jesko as the base. The vehicle features forged carbon fiber bodywork and a bespoke interior. Its value runs into the millions.

Entry requires a deposit on Spartans.com. A verifiable, random draw will select the winner from the total pool of valid tickets. The giveaway launched January 15, 2026, and will not be repeated, extended, or replaced. When the draw closes, the opportunity ends permanently.

Such initiatives are expensive. They compress margins. But they generate brand gravity that traditional advertising cannot replicate.

Nexus International comprises three platforms: Spartans.com for casino, Megaposta for sports betting in Brazil, and Lanistar for fintech-gaming convergence across Europe and Latin America. The shared backend infrastructure, payments, compliance, risk management, creates operational efficiency while allowing each brand to pursue distinct market positioning.

Kiziloz’s approach to leadership has drawn as much attention as his financial results. Earlier this year, he fired BlockDAG’s CEO and senior executive team, a move that startled observers accustomed to the consensus-oriented governance typical of blockchain projects. The decision reflected his view that leadership layers had begun to slow execution rather than accelerate it.

The intervention signalled that Kiziloz treats BlockDAG not as a portfolio bet, but as mission-critical infrastructure. He demands the same operational intensity from his blockchain as he does from his gaming platforms.

His success, associates say, comes down to execution discipline and a refusal to cede control to outside investors. Every strategic decision is his. Every consequence is his. There are no board committees to consult, no quarterly calls to choreograph, no institutional expectations to manage.

The online casino market is projected to reach $38 billion by 2030, growing at approximately 12 percent annually. In this context, Kiziloz’s prioritisation of scale over short-term margins aligns with the competitive logic of a winner-take-most market.

At $1.7 billion net worth and $1.2 billion revenue at Nexus International, Kiziloz has established himself as a rare figure: a self-funded founder competing at an institutional scale without institutional backing.