Sopsy Takes FULL CONTROL of Ylilauta—Are Casino Ads Set for a Comeback?

Sopsy, the founder of the once-popular Finnish imageboard Ylilauta, has officially regained full ownership of the platform.

In a recent post, Sopsy revealed that he paid roughly €700,000 to acquire the remaining shares, which is validated by recent documents submitted to the Malta business registry confirming his 100% ownership. Given Sopsy’s original 32% stake, this amount aligns closely with the previously revealed company valuation of €1,016,000, as reported in this article.

This move comes after turbulent years for Ylilauta. The platform has been struggling with plummeting ad revenues, and earlier this fall, Camoradar reported that Ylilauta had scaled down its operations and experienced a 40% valuation drop following a failed attempt to sell the site to a Finnish millionaire.

Recent annual accounts filed with the Malta Business Registry also indicate a decline in Ylilauta’s profitability. The board has recommended a dividend of €298,613, a significant drop from last year’s €531,500. This decline reflects Ylilauta’s struggles to generate the revenue it once did, a reality that may have motivated the sale and contributed to the lowered valuation.

LAUTA MEDIA LTD 2023 Annual Accounts (register.mbr.mt)

The terms of the buyout include a unique clause allowing former owners to advertise their gambling affiliate sites on Ylilauta for five years, contingent upon future legalization of casino advertising in Finland. Any revenue from these ads would be divided according to the original stock split, offering previous stakeholders a potential revenue stream even after the sale.

Sopsy reveals the deal included an option to bring casino ads back on Ylilauta

Sopsy has expressed optimism about Ylilauta’s future, noting that with the pressure to maximize profits lifted, the platform can refocus on user experience. "The time of ruining the site is over," he stated in a recent post, hinting at a return to the community-focused ethos that originally defined Ylilauta.

Whether Sopsy’s renewed leadership will indeed restore Ylilauta to its former glory remains to be seen.