Taiwanese online gamer GigaMedia (NASDAQ:GIGM) is growing by leaps and bounds. How far did it leap in the first quarter? How high can it bound over the course of this year? We'll find out the answer to the first question, and get clues on the second, when it reports earnings tomorrow morning.

After the news comes out, we'll have time aplenty to dissect it. But before we begin obsessing over GigaMedia's short-term progress, let's review what investors think about it as a long-term investment. Our tool in this endeavor: Motley Fool CAPS, where we poll more than 29,000 rated investors for their views on more than 4,000 companies, GigaMedia among them. Here's what Fools have to say about the company.

Up or down?
Nearly 800 investors have submitted ratings on GigaMedia. Their verdict: fun!

Whether you ask CAPS investors in general, or our very best investors -- the CAPS All-Stars -- in particular, GigaMedia gets an outperform rating 98% of the time. Little wonder, then, that it has earned the coveted five-star rating on CAPS.

Then again, gamers seem to love most of their companies:

Gaming Activities Group

CAPS Rating

GigaMedia

*****

GameTech International (NASDAQ:GMTC)

*****

The9 Limited (NASDAQ:NCTY)

*****

YouBet.com (NASDAQ:UBET)

****

International Game Technology (NYSE:IGT)

****

Pinnacle Entertainment (NYSE:PNK)

**

Shuffle Master (NASDAQ:SHFL)

**

Wall Street vs. Main Street
GigaMedia doesn't get quite as much attention on Wall Street as on Main. Still, both of the analysts we track on CAPS, who in turn track GigaMedia, rate the Motley Fool Global Gains pick a buy. With the stock outperforming the S&P 500 by a cool 69 percentage points over the past 52 weeks, I think you can guess why.

Bull pitch
 GigaMedia bulls like the company for its "well run, consistent growth." At the same time, they admit it sells for "a premium now, unless you think the growth/sales numbers are going to keep it up." But with its hand in the addictive gambling industry, All-Stars believe GigaMedia occupies "one of the FEW inflation/recession proof industries for the next ten years."

Bears wanted
Only two players have penned bearish pitches for GigaMedia -- and to be honest, neither one seems worth repeating. Weird. You'd think that a company with 7% of its shares sold short would have at least a few detractors who could explain why they don't like it. If you're one of them, then please take a moment to visit CAPS and tell us why you wouldn't touch this stock with a 10-foot croupier stick.

Fool contributor Rich Smith does not own shares of any company named above. You can find him on CAPS, publicly pontificating under the handle TMFDitty, where he's currently ranked No. 1,050 out of more than 29,000 rated players. Shuffle Master is a Stock Advisor recommendation. The Fool has a disclosure policy.