In just three years, Media 24 has grown from a startup to a respected name in affiliate marketing, specializing in high-value sports betting traffic. We sat down with Martins Lasmanis, CEO of Media 24, to discuss last year’s achievements, key factors of growth, shifts in the affiliate marketing landscape, and key industry trends for 2025.
How would you describe 2024 for the company, and what were the key milestones?
Reflecting on the last year, I’d say 2024 was about the evolution of Media 24. The business has grown incredibly well in terms of revenue, but we also transformed internally. We have improved the company with key hires in different areas, adding plenty of important skills and expertise to our operations. With that added depth, we are very well positioned to even greater success in the coming years.
In 2024, we’ve hired over 20 talented professionals in departments like SEO, content production, and data analysis. This significantly improved our ability to target our focus markets, build powerful products, and drive highly valuable traffic to our partners.
Another highlight was the industry recognition we received with four awards in 2024. It inspires us to continue raising the bar even higher.
What were the most important factors that helped you achieve these amazing results?
Our team has a mindset of continuous improvement and we are extremely focused on growth. This is the fuel that drives our engine forward.
A big part of our success is our customer-centric approach. We are always working on improving our products to meet the needs of an end consumer. This is related to both the user-experience and content. With websites reaching over 90 different GEO’s, it requires a lot of research and analysis to provide an experience tailored to every local audience.
We don’t lack curiosity and that is what sets us apart. iGaming is an industry that never stands still, but this is an environment that suits us perfectly. Everyone on the team is encouraged to bring new ideas to the table. This culture of collaboration is helping us to set big goals and achieve them year after year.
How has the affiliate marketing landscape changed over the last few years?
It has become more competitive, regulated, and data-driven. Regulatory changes have increased compliance challenges. Market saturation in Tier-1 regions has driven growth into emerging markets.
Technology advancements, like AI and blockchain, have enhanced tracking and analytics, demanding a more strategic approach from affiliates. In general, affiliates have evolved from compact teams driving traffic into full-scale operations, including product development, content creation, data analysis, and a depth of niche expertise.
The space is now dominated by those who can innovate and adapt to these changes.
How has Media 24 been able to adapt to these shifts?
Media 24 has stayed ahead by working smart and being flexible. We’ve adopted advanced analytics to improve our strategies and understand our audience better. A lot of our decisions are backed by data. This allows us to react to changes in the industry quickly, ensuring we can capitalize on new opportunities.
Beyond tech, we are always looking where we can improve our operations, either through additional strategic hires or optimization of existing processes. Our team is growing, and that additional expertise allows us to consistently evolve. We are building a diverse skill set within the company that combines everything that is needed to approach challenges of this ever-changing industry with confidence. Our strategy is not to be reactive but to plan a few steps ahead.
What are your predictions for the sports betting trends in 2025 that will shape the industry?
Personalization will be a defining trend in 2025. From personalized odds and bet suggestions to customized interfaces and marketing campaigns. Users will feel as if betting platforms are designed specifically for them.
Blockchain will continue to change the industry. It will add more transparency and fairness with the help of smart contracts, when payouts to users would be made automatically based on the match outcomes.
Social betting will be on a rise this year too. I think many operators will be implementing community features into their products this year. Leaderboards and friend challenges, group betting, and other mechanics that give users a sense of connection. Such features are especially important for engaging with the younger audience, as they value community-based experiences highly.
What are your plans for 2025 in terms of expansion and growth of the company?
Our vision is to become the next generation sports betting media network. Every step we make is strategically designed to reach that goal. This year is not an exception. Success in affiliate marketing is like training for triathlon. It’s not just about being good in one area, but mastering multiple disciplines at once. You can only get to your end goal with endurance, adaptability, and constant improvement.
In 2025 we will continue to focus on three main areas: improving our products, exploring new markets and delivering exceptional traffic to the brands we work with. With a clear direction and a dedicated team, I am confident that 2025 will become another year of significant growth for Media 24.
Read more: Martins Lasmanis on Media 24’s Rapid Growth and Future Vision
