Short interest for VanEck Gaming ETF gives investors a sense of the degree to which investors are betting on the decline of VanEck Gaming ETF's stock. Short interest data is updated every two weeks.

VanEck Gaming ETF (NASDAQ:BJK), Short Interest Report

VanEck Gaming ETF

VanEck Vectors Gaming ETF

Gaming

Sector ETFs

Broad U.S. Equity ETFs

Markets

ETFs

General

DKNG

PDYPY

PENN

VICI

WYNN

BETZ

The first four months of 2023 proved to be very positive for gambling stocks. 

These 2 Gambling ETFs Are Outperforming S&amp;P 500 In 2023: Top Stocks In Betting Industry

Cannabis

News

Small Cap

Trading Ideas

BF-A

DNUT

IMBBY

iShares Dow Jones US Aerospace & Defense Index Fund

RICK

SWBI

TTWO

VICE

By Josh Kincaid
Summary


	
	Protecting your portfolio during economic uncertainty with sin stocks
	
	
	Sin clauses, SRI and ESG may come at a financial cost 
	
	
	Sin stock’s benefits in addition to being recession-proof, generating strong and consistent earnings, and having limited competition

Vice Stocks: A Sin Not To Have In Your Portfolio

Specialty ETFs

Technicals

The following post was written and/or published as a collaboration between Benzinga’s in-house sponsored content team and a financial partner of Benzinga.


3 VanEck ETFs That Are Beating The Market

IBET

Betr Says Other Major Existing Investors Including FinSight Ventures, Florida Funders And Aliya Capital Partners Have Invested 'Significantly' Beyond Their Pro Rata

Betr Says Both co-Founders Participated In Round; Joey Levy Via Personal Investment And Jake Paul Via Anti Fund

Betr Raises $35M In Series A2 At $300M Pre-Money Valuation, Round Led By Roger Ehrenberg Via IA Sports Ventures And Eberg Capital, And Fuel Venture Capital; Says Fuel Expanded Investment Size In Betr From $10M Invested To Date To $20M Total

The first four months of 2023 proved to be very <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/23/04/n31992855/global-online-sports-betting-market-report-2023-increasing-popularity-of-online-gambling-drives-gr">positive for gambling stocks.&nbsp;</a>
Two of the most popular ETFs that invest in companies operating in the gambling industry have both outperformed the&nbsp;SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (ARCA: SPY), which replicates the S&amp;P 500 Index.&nbsp;
As of this writing, the VanEck Gaming ETF (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/bjk#NASDAQ">BJK</a>) has outperformed the SPY by nearly 10% year-to-date,&nbsp;whereas the Roundhill Sports Betting &amp; iGaming ETF (ARCA: BETZ) has gained 6% more than the SPY in the same period.
For more on the sports betting landscape and what could be next for popular betting segments and legislation, tune in to the&nbsp;<a href="https://events.benzinga.com/optin1680698642486?_gl=1*19snd8*_ga*NzU1MTg4MDM5LjE2Njk4NDY5ODY.*_ga_V7ZK73W7N0*MTY4MTk5NzEwOC4yNTAuMS4xNjgyMDA4MTMzLjQuMC4w" target="_blank">Benzinga Sports Betting Titans virtual event&nbsp;</a>on May 24.&nbsp;
Chart: Sport Betting ETFs Fared Better Than The Broader U.S. Stock Market In 2023
<img alt="" src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/u1363475/bjk_spy_2023-04-25_19-31-30_3704d.png" style="height:500px; width:100%" />
VanEck Gaming ETF vs.&nbsp;Roundhill Sports Betting &amp; iGaming ETF: Key Differences
VanEck Gaming ETF
<ul>
<li>This ETF, which trades&nbsp;under the symbol BJK, is managed by Van Eck Associates Corporation and is designed to track the performance of companies involved in casinos and casino hotels, sports betting, lottery services, gaming services, gaming technology, and gaming equipment.</li>
<li>To be included in the fund, companies must derive at least 50% of their revenue from gaming.</li>
<li>The fund invests at least 80% of its entire assets in stocks from the MVIS&reg; Global Gaming Index.</li>
<li>Companies situated in the United States presently account for 45% of total holdings. The United Kingdom is the second most represented nation in the portfolio, accounting for 12% of the total. 
	BJK&#39;s top three holdings are Flutter Entertainment plc&nbsp;(OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/pdypy#OTC">PDYPY</a>) (8.60%), Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/lvs#NYSE">LVS</a>)&nbsp;(7.64%), and Vici Properties Inc.&nbsp;(NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/vici#NYSE">VICI</a>) (6.64%).</li>
<li>
Asset under management: $96 million
</li>
<li>
Total expense ratio: 0.62%
</li>
<li>
1-year total return: 23.31%
</li>
</ul>
Read also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/23/04/31902324/las-vegas-sands-stock-trades-higher-after-hours-on-robust-recovery-in-travel-gaming" target="_blank">Las Vegas Sands Stock Trades Higher After Hours On &#39;Robust Recovery&#39; In Travel, Gaming</a>
Roundhill Sports Betting &amp; iGaming ETF
<ul>
<li>This ETF, which trades&nbsp;under the symbol BETZ, was&nbsp;launched by Listed Funds Trust and is managed by Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC and Roundhill Financial Inc.&nbsp;</li>
<li>The fund invests in firms that operate in the consumer discretionary, consumer services, hotels, restaurants, and leisure, casinos and gaming, casinos, gaming operations, and internet gaming operations sectors.</li>
<li>At least 80% of the fund&#39;s net assets must be invested in securities issued by Sports Betting and iGaming companies.</li>
<li>U.S.-based gaming companies currently&nbsp;account for 40% of total holdings in terms of regional representation. The United Kingdom comes in second with a 16% weight in the portfolio.&nbsp;</li>
<li>
BETZ&#39;s top three holdings are Draftkings Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/dkng#NASDAQ">DKNG</a>) (8.08%), Flutter Entertainment plc. (7%) and PENN Entertainment Inc (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/penn#NASDAQ">PENN</a>)&nbsp;(5.33%).
</li>
<li>
Asset under management: $139 million
</li>
<li>
Total expense ratio: 0.75%
</li>
<li>
1-year total return: -7.2%
</li>
</ul>
Best-Performing Gaming Stocks Year To Date
<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width:500px">
<thead>
<tr>
<th scope="col">Stock&nbsp;</th>
<th scope="col">Ticker</th>
<th scope="col">Tot. Return YTD</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Draftkings Inc.</td>
<td>(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/dkng#NASDAQ">DKNG</a>)</td>
<td>86.2%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Flutter Entertainment plc</td>
<td>(OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/pdypy#OTC">PDYPY</a>)</td>
<td>39.9%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Wynn Resorts, ltd</td>
<td>(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/wynn#NASDAQ">WYNN</a>)</td>
<td>35.2%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Las Vegas Sands Corp.&nbsp;</td>
<td>(NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/lvs#NYSE">LVS</a>)</td>
<td>31.3%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MGM Resorts International</td>
<td>(NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/mgm#NYSE">MGM</a>)</td>
<td>30.2%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>International Game Technology</td>
<td>(NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/igt#NYSE">IGT</a>)</td>
<td>26.3%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<ul>
</ul>
Read also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/23/04/31942348/video-game-ceo-who-challenged-apple-gives-his-best-advice" target="_blank">Video Game CEO Who Challenged Apple Gives His Best Advice</a>
Photo: Shutterstock
<ul>
</ul>

These 2 Gambling ETFs Are Outperforming S&P 500 In 2023: Top Stocks In Betting Industry

<h3>By&nbsp;Josh Kincaid 
Summary</h3>
<ul>
<li>
Protecting your portfolio during economic uncertainty with sin stocks
</li>
<li>
Sin clauses, SRI and ESG may come at a financial cost&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Sin stock&rsquo;s benefits in addition to being recession-proof, generating strong and consistent earnings, and having limited competition
</li>
<li>
Historical evidence on the performance supports sin stock&rsquo;s higher alpha
</li>
<li>
Sin stocks plausible underperformance due to &ldquo;shunned-stock hypothesis&rdquo;
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Vice Stocks AKA Sin Stocks</h3>
During my career in finance, I&rsquo;ve been hearing investors say that vice stocks, AKA sin stocks, tend to outperform blue-chip stocks during a market downturn.
Sin stocks refer to shares of public companies whose business is considered unethical, immoral, or unsavory. Traditionally, the term&#39;s been applied to alcohol, tobacco, gambling, and defense.
Now that cannabis stocks are included in this segment, I was curious if more investors should be seeking alpha in sin stocks.
See also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/21/09/17374322/legal-weed-cannabis-dispensaries-marijuana-stocks-and-how-it-all-works" title="Legal Weed: Cannabis Dispensaries, Marijuana Stocks And How It All Works">Legal Weed: Cannabis Dispensaries, Marijuana Stocks And How It All Works</a>
In order to get some more clarification on the subject, I reached out to an expert in this field- Larry Swedroe, who in August 2020 wrote the article &ldquo;<a href="https://seekingalpha.com/article/4369107-sin-stocks-and-expected-returns" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Sin Stocks And Expected Returns</a>&rdquo; which prompted me to seek out an interview with Larry for my cannabis business podcast &ldquo;<a href="http://thetalkinghedgepodcast.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Talking Hedge</a>&rdquo; to get into the weeds regarding sin stocks.
<h3>Sin&rsquo;s Stability</h3>
According to Larry &ldquo;sin stocks are considered to be fairly recession-proof. There&rsquo;s a reason for this- people drink, smoke, and gamble in both good times and bad, while most of them don&#39;t view their own &quot;sins&quot; as discretionary. One theory for sin stock&rsquo;s higher returns is they are more profitable and less wasteful with investment. This is due to the difficulty this sector has when it comes to raising capital, so companies don&rsquo;t tend to waste it.&rdquo;
Larry goes on to say &ldquo;sin stocks are considered defensive and tend to remain fairly stable under difficult economic conditions. They tend to suffer only when economic conditions are so bad they impair consumers&#39; ability to spend. However, consumers typically revert back to their vices once the economy improves, and they tend to spend aggressively during bull markets.&rdquo;
<h3>Sin Stock Price Discovery</h3>
Prior to my research on sin stocks, I was under the impression the reasons for above-market returns was due to the demand for their products being inelastic.
After further research, sin stocks are in part systematically underpriced because of institutional investors&#39; inability to buy them due to sin clauses, as well as those who lean toward the side of Social Responsible Investing (SRI) or Environmental Social Governance (ESG). These investors express their values through their investments and believe sin industries could benefit from monopolistic returns, or maybe these companies could face increased litigation risk for which investors are rewarded.
<h3>Shunned-Stock Hypothesis</h3>
This so-called &quot;shunned-stock hypothesis&quot; allows other investors who are willing to invest in sin stocks to earn a premium from the reputation risk. This means that socially responsible investors pay a financial cost when avoiding these stocks because of social and ethical criteria.
See also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/21/09/22832683/more-sustainability-less-carbon-bmw-commits-to-hemp-and-recycling" title="More Sustainability, Less Carbon: BMW Commits To Hemp And Recycling">More Sustainability, Less Carbon: BMW Commits To Hemp And Recycling</a>
In other words, if enough people avoid a group of stocks then their valuations will be lower, which means the expected returns are now higher. On the other side of the coin, traders are utilizing the strategy of investing in sin stocks, like cannabis companies, to protect their portfolios during economic uncertainty.&nbsp;
<h3>Benefits to Sin Stocks</h3>
Sin stocks have a lot of benefits in addition to being recession proof, generating strong and consistent earnings, and having limited competition. Sin stocks also tend to have better value, predictability, and a higher alpha.
<h3>The Evidence&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</h3>
Historical evidence on the performance of these stocks supports the theory that sin stocks have provided significantly higher returns than stocks in general.
UBS (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ubs#NYSE">UBS</a>), for example, found that the 50 largest sin stocks greatly outperformed the MSCI World Index over the last 43 years, by about 5 percent annually, although there&rsquo;s been a slide in performance over the past three years. This could be from a shift away from equities and more towards cryptocurrency, as crypto, alt coins, and defi continue to gain in popularity.
<h3>Crystal Bong Predictions</h3>
So what could investors expect to see if a wave of people start dumping shares as they flee other investment vehicles due to a market downturn, recession, depression, or market correction?
We might see a repeat of what happened during the 2000-02 downturn; Standard &amp; Poor&#39;s Casinos and Gaming index gained 115 percent, while the S&amp;P 500-stock index plunged 47 percent. Shares of tobacco giant Altria (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/mo#NYSE">MO</a>) (then known as Philip Morris) more than doubled, and the stock of Anheuser-Busch (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/bud#NYSE">BUD</a>), the largest U.S. brewer, advanced 87 percent.
See also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/21/09/22891408/study-marijuana-use-may-double-chances-of-heart-attack-in-young-adults" title="Study: Marijuana Use May Double Chances Of Heart Attack In Young Adults">Study: Marijuana Use May Double Chances Of Heart Attack In Young Adults</a>
In Larry&rsquo;s article, he sites the authors Harrison Hong and Marcin Kacperczyk of the study &ldquo;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304405X09000634?via=ihub" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Price of Sin: The Effects of Social Norms on Markets</a>,&rdquo; published in the July 2009 issue of the Journal of Financial Economics, which found that for the period 1965 through 2006, sin stocks in seven large European markets and Canada outperformed similar stocks by about 2.5% a year.
<h3>Expected Returns&nbsp;</h3>
Investors looking at sin stocks should expect a premium, although it&#39;s possible sin stocks underperform because of the shunned-stock hypothesis.&nbsp;
The shunned-stock hypothesis states that sin stocks will have a higher cost of capital because they would trade at a lower price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, which provides investors with higher returns.
Larry also mentioned during our interview that unless people stop sinning, the earnings should continue to be there, as well as generate above-market returns. However, he also said it&rsquo;s plausible sin stocks could suffer through a period where cash flows are overwhelming those higher earnings relative to the price, so investors need to have long-term discipline- which you should have with any investment.
Full interview with Larry Swedroe available at &ldquo;<a href="http://thetalkinghedgepodcast.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Talking Hedge</a>&rdquo; or your favorite podcast platform, just search &ldquo;<a href="https://youtu.be/5aDIfdCHWCshttps://youtu.be/5aDIfdCHWCs" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Cannabis Investor Insights: Buckingham Wealth Partners</a>.&rdquo;
<h3>Sin Stock Non-Inclusive List:</h3>
Firearms
<ul>
<li>
Smith and Wesson (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/swbi#NASDAQ">SWBI</a>) is the leading handgun producer in the United States.&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Sturm and Ruger Company (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/rgr#NYSE">RGR</a>)
</li>
</ul>
The main ammunition manufacturer in the United States:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>
Olin (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/oln#NYSE">OLN</a>)&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>
Defense
<ul>
<li>
Boeing (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ba#NYSE">BA</a>)
</li>
<li>
iShares U.S. Aerospace &amp; Defense ETF (BATS: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ita#BATS">ITA</a>)
</li>
<li>
Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund ETF (NYSEARCA: VDC)
</li>
</ul>
Gambling
<ul>
<li>
Las Vegas Sands (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/lvs#NYSE">LVS</a>)
</li>
<li>
MGM Grand (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/mgm#NYSE">MGM</a>)
</li>
<li>
Boyd Gaming (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/byd#NYSE">BYD</a>)
</li>
<li>
Penn National Gaming (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/penn#NASDAQ">PENN</a>)
</li>
</ul>
Tobacco
<ul>
<li>
Philip Morris International (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/pm#NYSE">PM</a>) is known for Marlboro
</li>
<li>
British Tobacco Company (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/bti#NYSE">BTI</a>) is home to Lucky Strike&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Imperial Tobacco (OTCQX: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/imbby#OTCQX">IMBBY</a>) is the largest seller of cigars
</li>
<li>
Altria (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/mo#NYSE">MO</a>) owns Philip Morris USA and U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company.
</li>
<li>
<ul>
<li>
$MO treated investors to 20% annual returns on average since 1968, while growing its dividend payout.&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
Alcohol
<ul>
<li>
InBev&rsquo;s 2008 acquisition of Anheuser-Busch Corporation (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/bud#NYSE">BUD</a>)&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Boston Beer (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/sam#NYSE">SAM</a>), Molson Coors (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/tap#NYSE">TAP</a>).&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Brown-Forman (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/bf-a#NYSE">BF-A</a>) owns Jack Daniels.&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Diageo (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/deo#NYSE">DEO</a>) owns and distributes such well-known brands as Johnnie Walker, Guinness and Captain Morgan.
</li>
<li>
<ul>
<li>
$DEO has had 10% annual returns for the past 10 years and paid nearly 40% of the purchase price in cash dividends.
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
Cannabis
<ul>
<li>
Constellation Brands (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/stz#NYSE">STZ</a>), is an alcohol and beverages marketing company with over 40 facilities and more than 9,000 workers around the world.&nbsp;&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF (NYSEARCA: MJ)
</li>
<li>
Advisor Shares Vice ETF (NYSEARCA: VICE)
</li>
<li>
<ul>
<li>
While the S&amp;P 500 Index returned 7.8% per year, $VICE (previously $ACT) returned 11.5%. The vice portfolio exhibited less market risk measured by volatility than the S&amp;P 500.
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
Lust
The strip club business in America is highly regulated by local governments in the vast majority of locations.&nbsp;As a result, the barriers to entry are high. One cannot just decide to open a strip club. Obtaining a license and owning the real estate is necessary.
<ul>
<li>
RCI Hospitality Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/rick#NASDAQ">RICK</a>)
</li>
</ul>
Sloth
<ul>
<li>
Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ea#NASDAQ">EA</a>), Take-Two Interactive (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ttwo#NASDAQ">TTWO</a>), VanEck Vectors Gaming ETF (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/bjk#NASDAQ">BJK</a>)
</li>
</ul>
Anger
<ul>
<li>
World Wrestling Entertainment (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/wwe#NYSE">WWE</a>)&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>
Gluttony
<ul>
<li>
McDonald&#39;s (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/mcd#NYSE">MCD</a>), Krispy Kreme Doughnuts (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/dnut#NASDAQ">DNUT</a>), etcetera- take your pick!
</li>
</ul>
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it. I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
M&aacute;s contenido sobre <a href="http://elplanteo.com/cannabis">cannabis</a> en Espa&ntilde;ol en El Planteo.
Photo: <a href="https://unsplash.com/@enginakyurt?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText">engin akyurt</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/s/photos/sins?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a>
<div>The preceding article is from one of our external contributors. It does not represent the opinion of Benzinga and has not been edited.</div>

The following post was written and/or published as a collaboration between Benzinga&rsquo;s in-house sponsored content team and a financial partner of Benzinga. 
The S&amp;P 500 Index is made up of various sectors and industries. And even though the 56% return of the index over the past year is considerable, some of these sectors and industries have beat this by a large margin.
There&rsquo;s a good chance this trend continues.
The VanEck Vectors Gaming ETF (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/bjk#NASDAQ">BJK</a>) invests in the stocks of publicly traded casinos and casino hotels, sports betting and lottery service companies, and gaming technology and gaming equipment companies. It has gained more than 100% over the past year.
<img alt="bjk.png" src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/u344550/bjk.png" style="height:400px; width:640px" />
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/21/04/20640495/gamestop-chewy-and-more-these-are-the-stocks-being-added-to-the-dave-portnoy-backed-etf">GameStop, Chewy And More: These Are The Stocks Being Added To The Dave Portnoy-Backed ETF</a>
The VanEck Vectors Oil Services ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/oih#NYSE">OIH</a>) invests in oil equipment, oil services, and oil drilling companies. Over the past year, the price of the shares has risen by about 140%.
<img alt="oih.png" src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/u344550/oih.png" style="height:400px; width:640px" />
The VanEck Vectors Steel ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/slx#NYSE">SLX</a>) invests in companies that are in the steel industry. Over the past year, the price of the shares has soared by about 160%.
<img alt="oih.png" src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/u344550/oih.png" style="height:400px; width:640px" />
The preceding post was written and/or published as a collaboration between Benzinga&rsquo;s in-house sponsored content team and a financial partner of Benzinga. Although the piece is not and should not be construed as editorial content, the sponsored content team works to ensure that any and all information contained within is true and accurate to the best of their knowledge and research. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice. 
&nbsp;

The following post was written and/or published as a collaboration between Benzinga&rsquo;s in-house sponsored content team and a financial partner of Benzinga.
The stock market today is much different than it was back in March, when the market took its biggest dive in years.&nbsp;
At the time, there were many more questions than answers about how the crisis would unfold. Would there be a V-shaped recovery? Will it be more of an L-shaped trend? Can stocks make a W-pattern?&nbsp;
Now, nine months later, we&rsquo;ve seen mostly a sharper V than anything else in stocks. The S&amp;P, Nasdaq, and Dow recently hit fresh all-time highs within the last few weeks all while coronavirus cases are at their highest ever. But the stock market doesn&rsquo;t much seem to care now that there&rsquo;s a possible path to reopening ahead. Toward the end of November, we discussed <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/20/11/18535776/2-travel-stocks-to-watch-that-reached-new-highs-in-2020-and-no-they-arent-airline-or-cru">travel stocks</a> and how it was the booking companies that have benefited the most so far.&nbsp;
We&rsquo;ve seen new trends emerge over the last few months that have helped give markets a boost and keep active traders interested. Things like renewable energy and <a href="https://pennystocks.com/featured/2020/11/22/electric-vehicle-penny-stocks-missed-november-22-2020/">electric vehicle stocks</a> are gaining interest most recently. But aside from the periodic sector trends, there&rsquo;s been one group of stocks to watch. These stocks are the epicenter stocks of the market.&nbsp;
What Are Epicenter Stocks&nbsp;
There&rsquo;ve been millions of new traders accessing the markets in 2020. If you look at some of the <a href="https://pennystocks.com/featured/2020/11/07/penny-stocks-brokerage-growth-statistics-2020/">stock brokerage growth statistics for 2020</a>, some accounts cite roughly 5 million new users opening accounts on platforms like Robinhood. Many of these traders sought out to leverage what money they&rsquo;d saved up in order to profit from the market sell-off in March. Aside from actually learning <a href="https://pennystocks.com/penny-stocks-trading">how to day trade</a>, many of these newbies were introduced to an entirely different side of the economy. This was one that involved much more sentiment and speculation to drive momentum instead of fundamentals alone. It was also at this time that Fundstrat&rsquo;s Tom Lee put together a thesis on epicenter stocks.
What are epicenter stocks? Put simply, these are stocks that were hit hard by pandemic restrictions. But according to Lee, they may also be some of the names to experience the biggest recoveries and/or benefit from &ldquo;the new normal.&rdquo;
One of the things discussed when referencing epicenter stocks is identifying a positive catalyst, and right now we have a potential vaccine. Now that Pfizer (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/pfe#NYSE">PFE</a>) &amp; BioNtech (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/bntx#NASDAQ">BNTX</a>) have gained approval in the U.K. the chances are high that certain <a href="https://pennystocks.com/featured/2020/11/17/best-epicenter-penny-stocks-to-buy-right-now-november-17-2020/">epicenter stocks</a> could begin to move.&nbsp;
This week, Pfizer gained emergency approval from the U.K. government for its COVID-19 vaccine. Last month, Pfizer and BioNtech submitted an Emergency Use Authorization request to the U.S. FDA for the vaccine. And initial guidelines were released this week discussing who could receive the vaccine first.&nbsp;
Moncef Slaoui, Chief Science Adviser to Operation Warp Speed, explained that the path forward could see the FDA authorizing the use of the vaccine sometime this month. He told ABC&rsquo;s Good Morning America that he expects &ldquo;the FDA to reach a similar conclusion&rdquo; as British health agencies and he hopes by &ldquo;the 10th or 11th of December [the] Pfizer vaccine is approved.&rdquo;
So, which companies could benefit from reopening efforts in light of both an approved vaccine and a proposed timeline? Many have turned attention to epicenter stocks. Here are six stocks that may benefit from such a scenario.
Sabre Corporation&nbsp;
As a software technology company, the unique aspect to consider with Sabre Corp. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/sabr#NASDAQ">SABR</a>) is its involvement in the global travel industry. The company&rsquo;s portfolio caters to airlines, car rental companies, travel agencies, and hotels helping to manage operations like reservations, back-end revenue management, flight crew management, and even flights. Sabre also operates a travel marketplace processing travel arrangements.&nbsp; Earlier this week the company&rsquo;s technology was implemented by Gulf Air, a top carrier in Bahrain. Croatia Airlines, GOL Airlines, and BIDTravel have all recently signed or enhanced agreements with Sabre.&nbsp;
Considering the SABR stock was trading as low as $3.30 in March, it&rsquo;s clear that reopening optimism &ndash; specifically in the travel industry &ndash; has helped. This week, shares reached highs of $11.73. Analysts at Deutsche Bank recently boosted their price target on SABR to $12 from $9 but still have a Hold rating on the stock. With the idea that travel picks up because of a vaccine as a solution to treating coronavirus, the backbone/pick and shovel stocks shouldn&rsquo;t be forgotten. In Sabre&rsquo;s case, the company expects that pent up demand for travel should firmly establish a more profitable recovery from the pandemic.&nbsp;
Macy&rsquo;s Inc.&nbsp;
If there&rsquo;s one industry that&rsquo;s felt the heat from coronavirus, it&rsquo;s brick-and-mortar retail. COVID-19 forced many to either evolve or die, with many falling victim to the latter. The ones that have at least treaded water have taken up a brick-and-click approach. Flagship stores like Macy&rsquo;s Inc (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/m#NYSE">M</a>) were among those companies falling hard earlier in the year as mall closures and social distancing rules prevented the masses from shopping in person.&nbsp;
Fast-forward to December and Macy&rsquo;s stock price has bounced back more than 100% since March. Furthermore, the company has managed to more than just weather the storm. Take a look at its third quarter results. Though it still posted an EPS loss, it wasn&rsquo;t nearly as much as analysts had estimated. The company further beat on sales as well with $3.99 billion for the quarter compared to $3.86 billion estimated. While there&rsquo;s still likely going to be a long road ahead, Macy&rsquo;s stock has reflected the vaccine optimism that so many retail stocks have begun experiencing. Some of the key revenue drivers during the quarter had to do with luxury items and things to feel more comfortable at home. Furniture, jewelry and fragrance, as well as casual apparel helped give sales a much-needed boost.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Wynn Resorts Ltd.
You can&rsquo;t talk about reopening stocks without mentioning hospitality and, more specifically, casinos &amp; resorts. Wynn Resorts (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/wynn#NASDAQ">WYNN</a>) shares treaded water for most of the past eight months. However, since mid-November, things have been a bit more active. Since the sell-off in March, shares are up more than 190%, and while there&rsquo;s still much more to recover from that drop, the nine-month window hasn&rsquo;t looked bad for the stock.&nbsp;
Wynn operates several luxury resorts including Wynn Las Vegas, Encore Las Vegas, Wynn Macau and Encore Macau. While Macau gaming revenues dropped in November, most casino stocks have traded higher. Even new capacity restrictions haven&rsquo;t put much of a blemish on casino stocks like Wynn in light of recent vaccine headlines. If optimism remains and eventually results in looser restrictions, WYNN and other casino stocks could be ones to watch.&nbsp;
In fact, if you look at the VanEck Gaming ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/bjk#NYSE">BJK</a>), you&rsquo;ll see the strength that the gaming sector has shown this year. Year to date, BJK is actually positive and just recently hit fresh 52-week highs. The ETF holds shares of names like Las Vegas Sands. Corp, Sands China, MGM Resorts (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/mgm#NYSE">MGM</a>), and Caesars Entertainment, and, of course, Wynn.&nbsp;
Winnebago Industries
Not up for traveling via plane or train? How about by RV? With coronavirus still very much a big part of our daily lives, the holiday season has seen travelers take up unique means of getting to their holiday destinations. It&rsquo;s also got people figuring out new ways to enjoy recreational activities. Winnebago Industries (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/wgo#NYSE">WGO</a>) not only makes the Winnebago RV, it also manufactures Newmar and Chris-Craft branded products as well.&nbsp;
A Bureau of Economic Analysis report in November showed consecutive annual growth in outdoor recreation, which correlated to a positive impact on the U.S. GDP. According to the report, the sector generated $788 billion in gross output in 2019 and supported 5.2 million jobs. Things like boating, fishing, hunting, RVing, and even off-roading via things like ATVs were among the largest activities.
This trend was reflected in Winnebago&rsquo;s most recent fiscal Q4 and full-year 2020 results. Quarterly revenue was up just over 39% year over year with adjusted EPS coming in at $1.45 compared to estimates of just $0.90. What&rsquo;s more, quarterly sales growth from motorhomes were up over 50% from the year prior, to $301.8 million. The addition of the Newmar brand was a big growth driver for the company. Full-year motorhome sales were also up 49.5% compared to 2019, again driven by the addition of Newmar.&nbsp;
Boeing&nbsp;
Boeing Co (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ba#NYSE">BA</a>) has experienced a storied history that didn&rsquo;t solely involve pressure from the COVID sell-off. Long before that, the company had been dealing with its 737 Max jet shortcomings. Fast-forward to this quarter and Boeing could be looking at a return to service for its Max jet line. The last 20 months have seen Boeing conduct more than 4,400 hours of testing, which included more than 1,350 flights.&nbsp;
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency published a proposed airworthiness directive last month outlining conditions necessary for Boeing&rsquo;s 737 Max jet return to service in Europe. Furthermore, Brazil&rsquo;s Aviation Authority has also joined the FAA in rescinding an order to halt commercial operations of Boeings 737 in Brazil.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Positive vaccine news has also helped give the plane manufacturer a boost recently. Chatter that Ryanair is reportedly close to placing orders for more 737 Max jets has further echoed a bullish sentiment around air travel. American Airlines also said that it will hold its first civilian passenger flights on board Boeing&rsquo;s Max jet soon, Reuters reported. Considering the upbeat vaccine sentiment coupled with the relaunch of the long-awaited, revised Max jet, Boeing should be one of the epicenter stocks to keep an eye on.&nbsp;
U.S. Steel
Aside from retail and travel, infrastructure was halted earlier this year. Social distancing measures put a stop to countless projects. With President-Elect Joe Biden taking initiatives involving increased infrastructure spending, chances are the epicenter recovery will involved infrastructure strength. Biden&rsquo;s stance discusses the need for &ldquo;millions of construction, skilled trades, and engineering workers&nbsp;to build a new American infrastructure.&rdquo;
Keeping this in mind, Biden has set a target of $2 trillion in accelerated investment planning to deploy this during his term. U.S. Steel&rsquo;s (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/x#NYSE">X</a>) focus on secure and sustainable operations via its mini-mill, &ldquo;Best of Both&rdquo; initiative has established a stronger base for the company to work from. The company continues restarting numerous operations including a recent restarting of its blast furnace at its Indiana mill in addition to restarting its Minnesota Ore Mine.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Assuming trillions are set to be spent on infrastructure, U.S. Steel could become a benefactor of such an initiative. Meanwhile, new construction and industrial projects could compound the company&rsquo;s momentum heading into 2021.&nbsp;
Neither the author of this post nor&nbsp;Pennystocks.com&nbsp;have a position or financial relationship with any of the stocks mentioned above.&nbsp;
The preceding post was written and/or published as a collaboration between Benzinga&rsquo;s in-house sponsored content team and a financial partner of Benzinga. Although the piece is not and should not be construed as editorial content, the sponsored content team works to ensure that any and all information contained within is true and accurate to the best of their knowledge and research. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice.

Travel

BNTX

SABR

Should You Find Epicenter Stocks To Buy Right Now? 6 Companies You Might Want On Your 2021 Watch List

Back from from the brink of its coronavirus lows, Caesars Entertainment (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/czr#NASDAQ">CZR</a>) isn&#39;t just relying as its status the largest casino operator in the U.S.
It&#39;s targeting iGaming and sports wagering dominance <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/m-a/20/09/17675435/caesars-entertainment-in-talks-to-buy-uks-william-hill-wsj">via a possible marriage</a> with William Hill (OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/wimhy#OTC">WIMHY</a>). Caesars is offering $3.69 billion for its sportsbook partner and private equity firm Apollo Global Management (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/apo#NYSE">APO</a>) could also make an offer.
However, Caesars isn&#39;t in this competition to play nice or finish second place. The company is telling William Hill that if opts to team up with Apollo, its current deal where it runs Caesars&#39; domestic sportsbooks <a href="https://www.casino.org/news/caesars-has-stern-warning-for-william-hill-on-taking-apollo-offer/">will be eliminated</a>.
It remains to be seen if Apollo makes a competing bid for William Hill, but if Caesars takes the prize, the following exchange-traded funds could be worth considering for investors.
Invesco DWA Consumer Cyclicals Momentum ETF (PEZ)
Remembering that even with a more than nine-fold surge off its March lows, Caesars is still a mid-cap stock with a market capitalization of $8.68 billion, so it&#39;s not a major component in many of the 64 ETFs in which it dwells. The Invesco DWA Consumer Cyclicals Momentum ETF (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/pez#NASDAQ">PEZ</a>) has the largest weight to the casino operator at 4.02%, making it the <a href="https://www.etfrc.com/funds/stocklocator.php">fifth-largest holding</a> in the fund.
PEZ follows the Dorsey Wright Consumer Cyclicals Technical Leaders Index, which uses relative strength as a prime determinant of securities&#39; eligibility for inclusion. In other words, it can be argued Caesars&#39; inclusion in this fund is impressive and it&#39;s one of just three casino stocks on the PEZ roster.
Roundhill Sports Betting &amp; iGaming ETF (BETZ)
Already a force among <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/20/09/17578045/3-etfs-with-powerful-penn-national-exposure">this year&#39;s rookie ETFs</a>, the Roundhill Sports Betting &amp; iGaming ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/betz#NYSE">BETZ</a>) isn&#39;t the next largest ETF holding of Caesars equity after PEZ, though BETZ has a 2.7% weight to the stock.
What makes BETZ highly relevant in this particular conversation is that the recent run-up in William Hill vaulted that name to the top spot on the BETZ roster at <a href="https://www.roundhillinvestments.com/etf/betz/full-holdings">a weight of 9.41%</a>. That&#39;s 77 basis points above the ETF&#39;s second-largest holding, giving the lone sports betting ETF the largest William Hill weight among all ETFs.
VanEck Vectors Gaming ETF (BJK)
The VanEck Vectors Gaming ETF (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/bjk#NASDAQ">BJK</a>) joins BETZ in the small group of ETFs featuring exposure to both Caesars and William Hill. The Caesars Palace operator accounts for 3.40% of this fund, second-highest among all ETFs. The British bookmaker commands a 1.95% slice of BJK&#39;s roster. That&#39;s enough to have the fund higher by 3.41% over the past week.

Long Ideas

WIMHY

3 ETFs With Soaring Caesars Exposure

It&#39;s been about 10 weeks since the DraftKings (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/dkng#NASDAQ">DKNG</a>) initial public offering&nbsp;and while it&#39;s fair to say the stock is still hot, having more than tripled from its days as a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) late last year, shares of the online sports betting firm are in the midst of the first pullback.
Over the past month, DraftKings is lower by 20%. Several factors explain that retreat, including a recent spate of insider selling, which unnerved some smaller investors. Additionally, the recent resurgence in coronavirus cases is stoking doubt that the NHL and NBA will return as planned later this month. Moreover, a second wave of COVID-19 cases could force dramatically alter the landscape for the 2020 football season. Football is the most wagered on sport in the U.S.
Still, analysts remain enthusiastic about DraftKings, with several recent price targets on the name <a href="https://www.casino.org/news/draftkings-dfs-dominance-is-a-plus-for-the-stock-says-analyst/">touching or surpassing $50</a>.
For investors that want some DraftKings exposure, here are some ETFs to mull over.
Fidelity NASDAQ Composite Index Fund (ONEQ)
The Fidelity NASDAQ Composite Index Fund&#39;s (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/oneq#NASDAQ">ONEQ</a>) weight to DraftKings is tiny at about 0.10%, but the fund is being mentioned here because of the stock&#39;s Nasdaq listing.
Something for index nerds and DraftKings shareholders to keep an eye one is when the stock makes the move to the <a href="https://indexes.nasdaqomx.com/Index/Weighting/NXTQ">NASDAQ Q-50 Index</a>, the index comprised of the next 50 companies inline for promotion to the popular Nasdaq-100 Index. DraftKings isn&#39;t here yet, but when it gets to the Q-50, it could just be a matter of time before it gets to the Nasdaq-100.
Roundhill Sports Betting &amp; iGaming ETF (BETZ)
The Roundhill Sports Betting &amp; iGaming ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/betz#NYSE">BETZ</a>) is the first ETF dedicated to the booming iGaming and sports wagering theme and it was the first ETF to feature DraftKings. Since BETZ debuted about a month ago, nine other ETFs have followed suit.
When BETZ launched, DraftKings was the fund&#39;s largest holding, but <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/20/06/16198499/sports-betting-etf-quickly-finds-fans-on-robinhood">some additions</a> to the underlying index and investors&#39; enthusiasm for some of the ETF&#39;s other components shuffled the sportsbook stock to the fifth spot at a weight of 5.29%. That is still tops among all ETFs with exposure to the stock.
Plus, BETZ is an undisputed success, raking in almost $89 million in assets in just a month on the market.
VanEck Vectors Gaming ETF (BJK)
BETZ is one of just two ETFs that devotes more than 0.50% to DraftKings. The other is the VanEck Vectors Gaming ETF (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/bjk#NASDAQ">BJK</a>), which in a somewhat stealthy fashion, features a 5% weight to the stock, making it its <a href="https://www.vaneck.com/etf/equity/bjk/holdings/">sixth-largest holding</a>. Combine that with an 8.35% weight to FanDuel parent Flutter Entertainment (OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/pdypy#OTC">PDYPY</a>), and BJK has increasing exposure to sports betting and iGaming.
Disclosure: The author owns shares of DraftKings.

Sports

Fidelity NASDAQmposite Index Fund ETF-Tracking NASDAQmposite Index

ONEQ

3 ETFs For DraftKings Exposure

U.S. markets were closed Monday, but there were some headlines out on the holiday that could prove relevant for several exchange traded funds over the course of this week.
To be sure, some of the ETFs&nbsp;likely to be in the spotlight this week don&#39;t often spend much time with that status and some have distinctly international feels.
Without further, here are three ETFs that are worth keeping a close eye on this week.
<h3>VanEck Vectors Gaming ETF (BJK)</h3>
Considering it&#39;s the only ETF dedicated to casino operators and related companies, the VanEck Vectors Gaming ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/bjk#NYSE">BJK</a>) generally doesn&#39;t garner much attention. It recently has, however, due in large part to Macau announcing forced closures of its casinos due to the new coronavirus from China.
Even with that immense challenge, BJK jumped 3.24% last week. Good news arrived Monday as authorities on the peninsula said they will abide by the initial 15-day closure plan and allow gaming venues <a href="https://www.casino.org/news/macau-casinos-to-reopen-after-coronavirus-shutdown/">to reopen this Friday</a>. That&#39;s certainly a step in the right direction, particularly because some high-ranking industry executives recently expressed concern that the closure scheme could last longer than initially anticipated.
More near-term help for BJK could be realized &ndash; though are no guarantees on this &ndash; if China relaxes strict travel bans to Macau that were implemented as a result of the virus.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/20/02/15332998/uber-lyft-lead-a-new-next-gen-travel-etf">Modern Travel Arrives In This New ETF</a>
<h3>iShares MSCI South Africa ETF (EZA)</h3>
The iShares MSCI South Africa ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/eza#NYSE">EZA</a>) gained nearly 2% last week, but the fund remains lower by 4.71% to start 2020. That&#39;s more than triple the loss of the China-heavy MSCI Emerging Markets Index.
EZA could be challenged this week because Moody&#39;s Investors Service <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-02-17/rand-weakens-as-moody-s-cuts-south-africa-s-growth-forecast?srnd=premium&amp;sref=x5UVx1nc">lowered its forecast </a>for South African economic growth on Monday. That&#39;s relevant because the ratings agency will review South Africa&#39;s Baa3 credit rating next month and plenty of market participants are bracing for a downgrade.
Adding to the potential near-term strain on EZA would be any news out of China that auto sales are weakening due to the coronavirus. That would punish high-flying palladium, the commodity that South Africa&#39;s is the world&#39;s number two producer of.
<h3>Technology Select Sector SPDR (XLK)</h3>
The Technology Select Sector SPDR (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/xlk#NYSE">XLK</a>) is obviously the marquee ETF highlighted here and it makes for a predictable beneficiary of good news out of China.
An interesting tidbit pertaining to XLK emerged in <a href="https://www.barrons.com/articles/apple-microsoft-and-intel-stock-have-been-killing-it-fund-managers-dont-have-enough-51581858000?mod=hp_DAY_4">a recent Barron&#39;s article</a> that notes some fund managers &ndash; if you can believe &ndash; it are under-allocated to Apple (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/aapl#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), Intel (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/intc#NASDAQ">INTC</a>) and Microsoft (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/msft#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>).
That trio of tech titans combines for over 44% of XLK&#39;s weight.

Short Ideas

Emerging Markets

Emerging Market ETFs

Pre-Market Outlook

AAPL

INTC

MSFT

3 ETFs To Watch This Week: China, Casinos And More

When times are good in the U.S. economy, Americans have no problem wagering some of their disposable income at the casino. When the stock market and the economy start to feel like too much of a gamble themselves, it&rsquo;s casinos and their investors that start to suffer.
<h3>Casino Stocks Lag</h3>
In the past six months, the VANECK VECTORS/GAMING ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/bjk#NYSE">BJK</a>) is down 28.6 percent compared to just an 8.5-percent decline for the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/spy#NYSE">SPY</a>).
While some of that decline may be due to concerns over Las Vegas and a potential U.S. recession in 2019, much of it&nbsp;has to do with a potential slowdown in Macau and the Chinese economy thanks to the ongoing trade war.
Macau gross gaming revenue growth dipped to the single digits for three consecutive months in the second half of 2018 before bouncing&nbsp;back a bit to 16.6 percent in December.
<h3>Recessions And Gambling</h3>
The late-2018 sell-off contracted earnings multiples across the board in U.S. stocks.
A study in the Journal of Gambling Studies confirms the link between gambling revenue and economic strength.
The <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3501160/">2012 study</a> conducted in the Netherlands by Csilla Horv&aacute;th and Richard Paap found that, from 1959 to 2010, casino gambling revenue in the U.S. was closely correlated to economic growth.
The study found that casino gaming revenue grows during periods of economic expansion, while it stagnates during economic recessions. The same study found that lottery gambling, by contrast, is relatively recession-proof.
Casino stocks are certainly not alone in being vulnerable to recessions. Travel and leisure stocks, construction stocks&nbsp;and home furnishing stocks all tend to underperform during economic recessions.
These consumer discretionary stocks all share one common trait: they rely on consumers spending their disposable income. When consumers are feeling skittish, they tend to hold onto excess income and wait for times to get better.
<h3>Recession Chances Remain Low</h3>
The good news for casino stock investors is that, while the risk of a U.S. recession has certainly been on the rise, the latest <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/18/cnbc-fed-survey-chance-of-recession-rises-to-23percent.html">CNBC Fed Survey</a> in the month of December found that economists still see less than a 1-in-4&nbsp;chance of a U.S. recession in 2019.
The survey found that only 23 percent of economists anticipate a recession in the next 12 months, up from 19 percent in November. Of course, positive developments on the trade front could provide a major boost for investor and economist sentiment, especially when it comes to U.S. casino stocks with exposure to Macau.
Here&rsquo;s a look at how each of those three U.S. casino stocks have fared in the past six months:
Wynn Resorts, Limited (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/wynn#NASDAQ">WYNN</a>) is down 38.8 percent.
Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/lvs#NYSE">LVS</a>) is down 29.1 percent.
MGM Resorts International (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/mgm#NYSE">MGM</a>) is down 13.2 percent.
Related Links:
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/18/08/12201623/analyst-still-optimistic-on-casino-stocks-upgrades-boyd">Analyst Still Optimistic On Casino Stocks, Upgrades Boyd Gaming</a> 
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/18/07/11965574/analysts-question-the-accuracy-of-weekly-macau-estimate">Analysts Question The Accuracy Of Weekly Macau Estimates</a>

Education

Casinos Among The Hardest-Hit Businesses During Economic Downturns

The U.S. Supreme Court <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/18/05/11704824/supreme-court-overturns-sports-betting-ban-in-new-jersey-case">struck down</a> the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), which made it illegal for states outside of Nevada to offer sports wagering.
Not surprisingly, the news sparked casino stocks higher. The VanEck Vectors Gaming ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/bjk#NYSE">BJK</a>), the only exchange traded fund dedicate to casino operators and gaming stocks, jumped 2.21 percent on volume that was nearly quadruple the daily average.
<h3>
	What Happened</h3>
By a 7-2 margin, SCOTUS ruled PASPA is unconstitutional, opening the door for states to offer sports gambling within their borders. Nevada is the only state offering legalized wagering on single games.
BJK, which is more than 10 years old, follows the MVIS Global Gaming Index and holds 45 stocks. The ETF&#39;s benchmark &ldquo;tracks the overall performance of companies involved in casinos and casino hotels, sports betting, lottery services, gaming services, gaming technology and gaming equipment,&rdquo; <a href="https://www.vaneck.com/etf/equity/bjk/overview/">according to VanEck</a>.
<h3>
	Why It&#39;s Important </h3>
Several states, including Connecticut, Delaware and New Jersey, could soon unveil legalized sports gambling. Others that are in need of additional revenue streams could consider similar moves, but some analysts urge caution regarding the impact of legalized sports betting on casino equities and state coffers.
&ldquo;Sports betting will not contribute substantially to either gross gaming revenue (GGR) or state tax revenue,&rdquo; <a href="https://www.fitchratings.com/site/pr/10030757">said Fitch Ratings</a>. &ldquo;Notably, sports betting in Nevada, where it is already legal, accounts for a relatively small proportion of gaming revenue. The Nevada Gaming Control Board reported almost $4.9 billion in sports handle in 2017, with $249 million in GGR and about $17 million in associated state tax revenue. That is a small fraction of the state&#39;s $4 billion in General Fund revenue.&rdquo;
For its part, BJK only allocates 42 percent of its weight to U.S.-based companies, which potentially limits the impact of legalized sports wagering on the ETF.
<h3>
	What&#39;s Next</h3>
There&#39;s some good news for BJK&#39;s domestic holdings, many of which generate substantial portions of their revenue in Las Vegas, the largest U.S. gaming destination.
&ldquo;We do not expect the growth of other markets to have a negative impact on casino operators in Las Vegas,&rdquo; said Fitch. &ldquo;We do not anticipate sports books in regional markets will materially compete with Las Vegas during marquis sporting events, such as the NCAA Final Four or the NFL Super Bowl, as Las Vegas has firmly established its attractiveness as a leisure destination.&rdquo;
Related Links:
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/18/05/11700964/where-to-be-with-health-care-etfs">The Right Healthcare ETF Right Now</a>
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/18/05/11701548/small-cap-etfs-for-a-stronger-dollar">Small-Cap Dollar Plays</a>

Legal

Be Careful With The Casino ETF After The Supreme Court's Sports Betting Ruling

The VanEck Vectors Gaming ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/bjk#NYSE">BJK</a>), the only exchange traded fund dedicated to casino and gambling stocks, is up modestly this year and higher by nearly 35 percent over the past 12 months. Bullish data out of Macau cold support further upside for BJK.
BJK marked a decade on the market in January. The ETF tracks the MVIS Global Gaming Index, &ldquo;which is intended to track the overall performance of companies involved in casinos and casino hotels, sports betting, lottery services, gaming services, gaming technology and gaming equipment,&rdquo;<a href="https://www.vaneck.com/etf/equity/bjk/overview/"> according to VanEck</a>.
An important driver of BJK&#39;s performance is Macau, the world&#39;s largest gambling hub and the only Chinese territory where gambling is legal. Fortunately for BJK, recent data points out of Macau are encouraging.
<h3>
	Solid Start To 2018 For Macau</h3>
&ldquo;Fitch Ratings forecasts Macau&#39;s gaming revenue growth to come in at a solid 13 percent this year (down from 19 percent in 2017) driven by 16-percent growth in the mass market segment and 10 percent in VIP &mdash; the market is about equally weighted to each of these segments,&rdquo; Fitch Ratings said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fitchratings.com/site/pr/10021159">in a recent note</a>.
BJK holds 43 stocks and the ETF reflects the global nature of the gambling business, with the U.S. commanding just 41 percent of the fund&#39;s geographic exposure. China is the BJK&#39;s second-largest geographic weight at 18.1 percent. Overall, the $57.1-million BJK features exposure to 15 countries, five of which are classified as emerging markets.
Some of BJK&#39;s largest holdings include Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/lvs#NYSE">LVS</a>), MGM Resorts International (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/mgm#NYSE">MGM</a>) and Wynn Resorts Ltd. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/wynn#NASDAQ">WYNN</a>) as well as the Macau units of those companies.
<h3>
	Cautious On Credit</h3>
VIP gamblers are major sources of revenue for Macau casinos. That segment is rebounding, but there are also reasons for caution on the group.
&ldquo;While we are more cautious on the VIP segment, which declined nearly 60 percent from peak to trough in the recent downturn, we feel it is now more sustainable,&rdquo; said Fitch. &ldquo;Much of the recent downturn was driven by a corruption crackdown in mainland China. High net worth gamblers now appear to better understand the current policy environment and are more willing to gamble in Macau. Junkets, a major conduit of VIP gambling through credit extensions and relationship-building, have been consolidated, and are more disciplined and more regulated. Still, caution is warranted given the segment&#39;s reliance on credit and some credit tightening measures taking place on the mainland.&rdquo;
Related Links:
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/18/02/11238606/dont-forget-this-global-x-mining-etf">A Cool Copper ETF</a>
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/18/02/11238596/the-long-term-performance-of-this-wisdomtree-mid-cap-etf-is-">An Incredible Mid-Cap ETF</a>

Macau Poised To Boost Casino ETF

For investors seeking momentum, VanEck Vectors Gaming ETF <a href="http://www.zacks.com/stock/quote/BJK">BJK</a> is probably on radar now. The fund just hit a 52-week high and is up nearly 31.5% from its 52-week low price of $33.57/share.
For investors seeking momentum, VanEck Vectors Gaming ETF BJK is probably on radar now. The fund just hit a 52-week high and is up nearly 31.5% from its 52-week low price of $33.57/share.
But are more gains in store for this ETF? Let&#39;s take a quick look at the fund and the near-term outlook on it to get a better idea on where it might be headed:
BJK in Focus
The fund looks to track the MVIS Global Gaming Index. Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd, Las Vegas Sands Corp and Sands China Ltd are the top three holdings of the fund. It charges 67 bps in fees (see <a href="https://www.zacks.com/funds/etfs/etf-categories/Consumer-Discretionary-ETFs-9">all Consumer Discretionary ETFs</a> here).
Why the Move?
Things are looking up for Casino stocks and ETF. Gambling revenues in the Chinese casino center of Macau <a href="https://www.casinopedia.org/news/macau-casino-revenue-rise-october-2017">grew 22%</a> during the month of October, beating expectations and registering a three-year high. A national Chinese holiday which boosted footfalls in the casino hub probably contributed to this stellar growth.
More Gains Ahead?&nbsp; 
It seems that this fund might stay strong given <a href="https://www.barchart.com/etfs-funds/quotes/BJK">a positive weighted alpha of 28.00</a>. As a result, there is still some promise for investors who want to ride on this surging ETF.
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Casino ETF Hits New 52-Week High

Up nearly 14 percent year-to-date, the VanEck Vectors Gaming ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/bjk#NYSE">BJK</a>) is at a torrid pace. Macau, the world&#39;s largest gambling hub and the only Chinese territory where gambling is legal, is often a driver of BJK&#39;s price action and that could prove to be good news for investors as 2017 moves along.
<h3>Macau Figures: Getting Better</h3>
Macau revenue numbers have been steadily improving. As <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/17/03/9112869/macau-might-finally-be-headed-in-the-right-direction">Benzinga reported earlier this year</a>, The February Macau revenue number topped <a href="http://www.aastocks.com/en/stocks/news/aafn-content/NOW.787494/popular-news">analyst estimates</a> of 21.5 billion patacas. Macau recorded 3.1 percent revenue growth in January. With seven consecutive months of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/financial-advisors/17/02/9082893/the-most-overpaid-ceos-in-s-p-500-comapnies-that-l">positive growth</a> in the books and weak comps ahead in early 2017, Macau finally seems to be headed in the right direction once again.
Other data points confirm that Macau is rebounding.
&ldquo;Fitch Ratings projects 12 percent gaming revenue growth in Macau for 2017. Year-to-date growth through March has been 13 percent, with February growing 18 percent on a year-over-year (YoY) basis. Fitch&#39;s 2017 forecast assumes low single-digit range month-over-month sequential growth for the balance of the year compared to 4 percent average sequential growth since July 2016,&rdquo; said <a href="https://www.fitchratings.com/site/pr/1022425">Fitch Ratings</a> in a note out earlier this week.
<h3>Why Macau Matters For BJK</h3>
Macau is an important piece of the BJK puzzle because the ETF reflects the global nature of the gambling business. U.S. stocks are just 36.3 percent of the ETF&#39;s weight. Overall, 15 countries are represented in BJK&#39;s lineup, including an 11.1 percent weight to China. Australia is BJK&#39;s second-largest country weight at 15.6 percent.
Just four of BJK&#39;s top 10 holdings, a group combining for over 55 percent of the ETF&#39;s weight, are focused on gambling within the United States.
&ldquo;The forecasted growth rate for Macau gaming takes into account tougher year-over-year comparisons in the second-half of 2017 and the possibility that the tightening monetary policy and increased real estate restrictions may slow economic growth on the mainland,&rdquo; said Fitch. &ldquo;We expect about equal contribution from VIP and mass market revenues toward achieving Fitch&#39;s 12 percent growth forecast. VIP growth has been exceeding Fitch&#39;s expectations, growing 17 percent YoY in first-quarter 2017. Stronger economic indicators on the mainland, players getting acclimated to China&#39;s corruption crackdown initiatives and China&#39;s authorities heightened crackdown on casino marketing by foreign companies (so far those based outside Macau) could possibly attribute to VIP outperformance.&rdquo;
BJK holds 40 stocks and has $21 million in assets under management.
Related Links:
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/17/03/9112869/macau-might-finally-be-headed-in-the-right-direction">Macau Might Finally Be Headed In The Right Direction</a>
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/17/04/9324320/possible-palace-mass-market-gains-lead-aegis-to-boost-es">Possible Palace Mass Market Gains Lead Aegis To Boost Estimates On Wynn</a>

Topics

Economics

Macau Can Spark The Casino ETF

The Market Vectors Gaming (ETF) (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/bjk#NYSE">BJK</a>) is up nearly 10 percent year-to-date, but that is not preventing some short sellers from targeting some of the gambling exchange-traded fund&#39;s holdings, particularly those of the Macau variety.
<h3>Global Exposure</h3>
Overall, BJK features exposure to 15 countries, with the United States, Australia and China being the only ones commanding double-digit weights. Five of BJK&#39;s country weights are emerging markets.
Macau, the only Chinese territory where gambling is legal, is the world&#39;s largest gambling hub.
Earlier this month, <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/news/16/08/8284923/macau-beats-expectations-in-july-but-still-logs-26th-consecutive-revenue-decline">Benzinga reported</a> gaming revenue in the month of July for Macau came in at 17.7 billion patacas. This figure, according <a href="http://www.dicj.gov.mo/web/en/information/DadosEstat_mensal/2016/">to data</a> released by the Macao Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau, is about 4.5 percent lower than July 2015&rsquo;s number. The 4.5 percent decline actually beat analysts&rsquo; low consensus expectations of a 5.5 percent drop.
<bzrelatedlink>Related Link: <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/16/08/8393507/consider-china-with-this-etf">Consider China With This ETF</a></bzrelatedlink>
&ldquo;Short sellers, who are <a href="http://www.markit.com/Commentary/Get/05112014-Equities-Betting-against-Macau-casinos">no strangers</a> to taking a view on gambling stocks, have been busily adding to Macau operator short positions in the weeks leading up to yesterday&rsquo;s opening of the Wynn Palace which has in turn taken the average shorting activity across the region&rsquo;s gaming sector back up from recent lows. Current average short interest across the region now stands at 2.6 percent of free float on average, 10% higher than the lows set three months ago,&rdquo; said Markit <a href="http://www.markit.com/Commentary/Get/25082016-Equities-Short-sellers-return-to-Macau-casino-operators">in a research note</a>.
<h3>It's More Than Black Jack For BJK</h3>
U.S. stocks account for 35 percent of BJK&#39;s weight. Due to market cap erosion experienced by some Macau names, China is now longer the ETF&#39;s second-largest geographic weight. Australia holds that spot at 16.3 percent followed by China at almost 9 percent.
While Las Vegas gambling data is solid and the U.S. is clearly a key driver of BJK&#39;s returns, Macau is a pivotal barometer of investor sentiment toward gambling stocks.
As Benzinga noted, some Macau stocks remain well of their highs: Shareholders of the four U.S.-listed Macau names are hoping that the worst of the selloff is now behind them. The stocks of the four Macau names are down between 8 and 56 percent in the past two years.
&ldquo;Wynn Resorts, Limited (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/wynn#NASDAQ">WYNN</a>) has been a favorite for Macau bears for quite some time and the 32 percent jump in shares shorted over the last month means that bearish sentiment in the stock now stands at a six month high. Although the company&rsquo;s current short interest is still over a third lower than at the heights of last year&rsquo;s uncertainty, the resurgent short interest indicates that Wynn still has to placate its doubters,&rdquo; added Markit.
Do you have ideas for articles/interviews you'd like to see more of on Benzinga? Please email <a href="mailto:feedback@benzinga.com">feedback@benzinga.com</a> with your best article ideas. One person will be randomly selected to win a $20 Amazon gift card!

Short Sellers Gamble With Gaming ETF's Holdings

Defying the latest predictions and warnings, the U.K. has decided to leave the European Union, and the implications of such a decision will be huge, impacting almost every aspect of Brits&rsquo; lives, including their beloved football &mash; or "soccer" to those west of the pond!
Last week, Richard Scudamore, the executive chairman of the Premier League &mdash; the British football league &mdash; was on <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03ynrkk">BBC Radio 5 Live</a>, expanding why the League (unofficially) supported the &ldquo;Stay&rdquo; stance. According to Scudamore, being open to the world is critical to the success of the Premier League.
<bzrelatedlink>Related Link: <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/fintech/16/06/8150477/how-the-brexit-will-affect-fintech-on-a-global-scale">How The Brexit Will Affect Fintech On A Global Scale</a></bzrelatedlink>
&ldquo;We do business around the world, we trade with the world,&rdquo; he explained. So, leaving the EU &ldquo;doesn&#39;t seem to sit very well when you travel the world like we do being welcomed because of the fact that we are open for business, open for discussion, and open for cooperation,&rdquo; he concluded.
<h3>The PL After The Brexit</h3>
Following the announcement that the &ldquo;Leave&rdquo; option had prevailed in the referendum, the Premier League issued a statement on Friday. While the organization assured that the League would continue to be largely successful and internationally appealing, they pointed out the &ldquo;uncertain nature of what the political and regulatory landscape might by following the &lsquo;Leave&rsquo; vote.&rdquo;
&ldquo;There is little point in second guessing the implications until there is greater clarity. Clearly, we will work with the government and other bodies whatever the outcome of any process,&rdquo; the League assured.
However, one thing is for sure: The way in which players are traded and taken to the U.K. will see some major changes. For instance, European ballers wanted on the Premier League will need a work permit in order to play, just like if they came from any other place on earth. Now, the thing is, getting a visa to work as a football player in the U.K. is not easy.
&ldquo;For example a non-EU player from a nation ranked inside FIFA&rsquo;s top 10 has to have played at least 30 percent of national team games in the two years prior to applying for a work permit to be able to play professionally in the UK. The lower ranked his national team, the higher percentage of games he has to play,&rdquo; an <a href="http://soccer.nbcsports.com/2016/06/24/what-does-uks-exit-from-eu-mean-for-the-premier-league/">NBC Sports</a> article explicated. This means that players like N&#39;Golo Kante, Dimitri Payet and Anthony Martial, would not be able to play in the Premier League under new regulations, even in spite of their EU passports &mdash; which enabled them to play when the U.K. was still a part of the Union.
<bzrelatedlink>Related Link: <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/16/06/8150254/heres-how-the-brexit-could-impact-the-u-s-housing-market">Here's How The Brexit Could Impact The U.S. Housing Market</a></bzrelatedlink>
&quot;We&#39;re talking about half of the Premier League needing work permits,&rdquo; football agent Rachel Anderson stated recently. &quot;The short-term impact would be huge but you could argue it will help in the long term as it could force clubs to concentrate on home-grown talent,&rdquo; she continued.
Agreeing with Anderson, agent Simon Bayliff added, &quot;The downside could be the value of the Premier League decreasing, as its attraction is the collection of foreign stars across many clubs.&rdquo;
<h3>The Problem In Numbers</h3>
The <a href="http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/35919247">BBC</a> has calculated that, among the more than 400 EU players registered in the Premier League, up to 100 do not meet the requisites for a work permit, and thus, could become ineligible to play in the U.K. Furthermore, this figure rises to more than 430 if the English Championship and Scottish Championship are taken into account.
Of course, rules and parameters for work permits could change, or maybe, teams could start hiring only eligible players, becoming more attractive to foreign investors. Only time will tell; but, right now, fans are certainly worried.
	Disclosure: Javier Hasse holds no positions in any of the securities mentioned above.

Eurozone

Politics

Global

Media

DBUK

DXPS

EWUS

HEWU

MANU

PowerShares ETF Leisure & Entertainment Port

QGBR

Select Sector SPDR-Consumer Discretionary

Due To Brexit, Up To 100 Premier League Players Could Be Ineligible Next Season

After spending considerable time as a drag on the once high-flying consumer discretionary sector, casino and gaming stocks are rebounding this year thanks to signs of stability in Macau, the world&#39;s largest gambling center.

	The combination of stability in Macau, a Chinese territory, and steadiness in Las Vegas has contributed to a year-to-date gain of nearly 6 percent for the Market Vectors Gaming (ETF) (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/bjk#NYSE">BJK</a>). BJK&#39;s performance should be viewed as especially solid when considering softness in other U.S. gaming markets excluding Las Vegas.

	&ldquo;Recovery in U.S. regional gaming revenues continues to be tepid. Longer-term secular headwinds such as slower wage growth, less certain retirement prospects for baby boomers, and alternative avenues for gambling will continue to weigh on the sector, despite tailwinds like more affordable gas and improved economic conditions in 2015. In addition, REIT spinoffs remain risky for regional gaming operators,&rdquo; said Fitch Ratings <a href="https://www.fitchratings.com/site/fitch-home/pressrelease?id=1002368">in a new note</a>.

	<bzrelatedlink>Related Link: <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/16/04/7834306/macaus-wynn-palace-will-be-a-game-changer">Macau&#39;s Wynn Palace Will Be A Game Changer</a></bzrelatedlink>
<h3>
	Playing Black Jack With BJK</h3>

	U.S. stocks account for 34 percent of BJK&#39;s weight. Due to market cap erosion experienced by some Macau names, China is now longer the ETF&#39;s second-largest geographic weight. Australia holds that spot at 14.5 percent followed by China at 11 percent.

	Overall, BJK features exposure to 15 countries with the United States, Australia and China being the only ones commanding double-digit weights. Five of BJK&#39;s country weights are emerging markets.

	&ldquo;Softness in the VIP market and further depreciation of the yuan may challenge Macau&#39;s year-over-year comparisons but we do not expect the broader economic slowdown in China to have a material impact on visitation,&rdquo; said Fitch Senior Director Alex Bumazhny in the note.

	Last month, Deutsche Bank upgraded shares of Wynn Resorts, Limited (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/wynn#NASDAQ">WYNN</a>) <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/16/03/7733629/deutsche-bank-still-buying-wynn-hikes-target-to-94">to a buy rating</a> &ldquo;while raising the price target from $82 to $94. The analyst expressed optimism regarding the company&rsquo;s long-term prospects.&rdquo;

	Wynn is 2.8 percent of BJK&#39;s weight. The ETF&#39;s top 10 holdings include Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/lvs#NYSE">LVS</a>) and MGM Resorts International (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/mgm#NYSE">MGM</a>).

	Image Credit: <a href="https://pixabay.com/en/poker-blackjack-casino-black-red-1264076/">Public Domain</a>

Macau/Vegas, Baby: Casino ETF Looks For Another Ace

The popularity of ETF trading has exploded in recent years, and investors seem to love the ability to gain diversification within a single purchase. Traders can easily play the entire S&amp;P 500 in one swoop by buying the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/spy#NYSE">SPY</a>) or gain exposure to the whole Energy Sector by buying the Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/xle#NYSE">XLE</a>).

	However, as the number of ETFs has exploded, some of them have become strangely specific. Here&rsquo;s a list of 10 oddball ETFs.

	1. Market Vectors Gaming ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/bjk#NYSE">BJK</a>)

	Want to place a bet on the gambling business? This ETF is devoted to companies that generate at least half of their revenue from gambling.

	2. Global X Lithium ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/lit#NYSE">LIT</a>)

	While direct investments in electric car companies such as Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/tsla#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) can be extremely volatile and risky, another way to play the electric car trend is by buying into Lithium ETF LIT.

	3. iPath Global Carbon ETN (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/grn#NYSE">GRN</a>)

	Slightly higher on the ETF periodic table than LIT is the Carbon ETF GRN. As strange as it seems, this fund is intended to mirror the performance of the most liquid global carbon-related credit plans.

	4. iPath Bloomberg Livestock SubTR ETN (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/cow#NYSE">COW</a>)

	If you are bullish on the long-term outlook for carnivores, this pork and beef-based ETF is perfect for you.

	5. PowerShares Water Resources ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/pho#NYSE">PHO</a>)

	Although this water ETF is very specific, the recent California drought has demonstrated just how critical the global water business could be in the long-term.

	6. LocalShares Nashville Area ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/nash#NYSE">NASH</a>)

	Do you love Nashville, Tennessee so much that you wish you could simply purchase it? The NASH invests 90 percent of its assets in U.S. companies headquartered in Nashville, TN.

	7. iPath S&amp;P 500 VIX ST Futures ETN (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/vxx#NYSE">VXX</a>)

	Although the VXX is an extremely popular volatility fund, CNBC&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/2012/06/27/Herb-Greenbergs-8-Weirdest-ETFs.html?slide=3">Hank Greenberg</a>&nbsp;once explained just how convoluted the VXX actually is: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a credit instrument based on the price of futures tied to an index that measures future volatility based on ANOTHER derivative.&rdquo;

	8. Forensic Accounting ETF (NASDAQ: FLAG)

	The firm that created this fund performs forensic accounting analysis of large-cap U.S. companies and then weights the fund&rsquo;s holdings based on the accounting letter grade (A-F) that each company receives.

	9. Robo-Stox Glbl Robotics&amp;Automation ETF (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/robo#NASDAQ">ROBO</a>)

	Robots may eventually take over the world and exterminate all of mankind, but at least you can die wealthy by investing in this robotics and automation ETF.

	10. Tuttle Tactical Management US Core ETF (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/tutt#NASDAQ">TUTT</a>)

	Having trouble deciding which ETF to buy? Buy one of a number of Inception-like &ldquo;ETFs of ETFs&rdquo; such as the Tuttle Core ETF, which invests no less than 80 percent of its funds in a basket of other ETFs.

NASH

PowerShares Exchange Traded Fund Water Resource Portfolio

ROBO

TSLA

TUTT

Barclays Bank iPath S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN

There's An ETF For That: 10 Oddball Funds

It has been a difficult year for casino and gambling stocks, which have <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-16/las-vegas-sands-profit-misses-estimates-as-macau-slows.html">continued to miss estimates</a> amid slowing global revenue. These multi-billion dollar enterprises have experienced strong growth over the last several years but are coming under fire as profit targets become harder to achieve.

	The Market Vectors Gaming ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/bjk#NYSE">BJK</a>) is the only dedicated exchange-traded fund in this industry group. BJK boasts 46 global holdings that include exposure to the United States, China, Malaysia, Australia and other countries.

	This ETF currently has $45 million in total asset and charges a net expense ratio of 0.65 percent. The majority of the BJK portfolio is made up of large-cap stocks, with mid-caps representing 27 percent of the total asset allocation.

	<bzrelatedlink>Related Link: <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/etfs/sector-etfs/14/09/4847804/high-yield-reit-and-financial-etfs-to-watch-this-week">High Yield, REIT And Financial ETFs To Watch This Week</a></bzrelatedlink>

	The most well-known holdings in BJK include&nbsp;Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/lvs#NYSE">LVS</a>), Wynn Resorts, Limited (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/wynn#NASDAQ">WYNN</a>) and MGM Resorts International (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/mgm#NYSE">MGM</a>). This fund also includes exposure to separate international listings of those companies, which are traded on the Hong Kong exchange.

	Just this week, BJK hit a new year-to-date low that coincided with a steep sell off among this industry group. In fact, this ETF is now down more than 17 percent this year and has now entered an oversold state based on its relative strength index.
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		<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/imce?app=nomatter%7Cimceload%40imceInline.load#" title=""><img alt="bjk.png" height="284" src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/u79448/bjk.png" width="460" /></a></div>
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	Several Wall Street <a href="http://news.investors.com/business/091614-717583-no-bottom-yet-for-las-vegas-sands-other-macau-casinos.htm">analysts have warned</a> that the weakness in this group may persist as a slowdown in Macau revenue continues to weigh on growth prospects. This region is one of the top global hubs for gambling profits and may be hit by slowing Chinese economic data.

	However, this sell off in gambling stocks may ultimately lead to a counter trend rally that sparks a short-covering bounce. This can often occur when sentiment reaches an extreme bearish state.

	It&rsquo;s also worth noting that the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/xly#NYSE">XLY</a>) has begun to show stronger relative momentum over the last several months. A breakout in this sector may help pull BJK out of its slump as well.

Casino ETF Keeps Landing On Red

<a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice &amp; Trading Tips</a>
Global X published a whitepaper in August about thematic investing. Specifically, the whitepaper found that <a href="https://www.globalxetfs.com/thematic-investing-whitepaper-new-consumer/">traditional sector indexes</a> have generally failed to provide exposure to the new consumer, people with far different attitudes than baby boomers. As a result, thematic ETFs have become popular with investors, especially younger ones.&nbsp;
Regarding current themes investors are exploring, artificial intelligence (<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/ai-stock-quote/">AI</a>) certainly gets the most media attention. However, new consumer segments, such as sports betting, have captured the attention of younger investors as well.&nbsp;
Global X indicates that the global online gambling industry is expected to grow significantly. In 2022, The global sports betting market was valued at $83.6 billion. By 2030, it&rsquo;s expected to grow to $180 billion with a compound annual growth rate of 10.3%.&nbsp;
To capture some of this growth, you can invest in a broad-market index to gain exposure to gambling businesses such as DraftKings (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/dkng-stock-quote/">DKNG</a>). Or you can build a core portfolio of broad-market ETFs and tactically invest in specific thematic ETFs.&nbsp;If that&rsquo;s you, here are three thematic ETFs to buy with long growth runways.&nbsp;
<h2>Global X Robotics &amp; Artificial Intelligence ETF (BOTZ)</h2>
<div><img src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ai-stocks1600-5-300x169.png" alt="Conceptual background of artificial intelligence, humans and cyber-business on programming technology element, 3D illustration. Next trillion-dollar companies. top AI stocks billionaires buy" width="300" height="169"><div>Source: whiteMocca / Shutterstock.com</div></div>
The Global X Robotics &amp; Artificial Intelligence ETF (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/botz-stock-quote/">BOTZ</a>) has grown to $2.2 billion in net assets over its seven-year history. The fund tracks the performance of the Indxx Global Robotics &amp; Artificial Intelligence Thematic Index. Companies that generate a <a href="https://www.globalxetfs.com/content/files/BOTZ-IM.pdf">significant portion of their revenues from robotics and AI</a> are eligible for inclusion in the index.&nbsp;
Other criteria for inclusion include a minimum market cap of $300 million, listed in a developed market such as the U.S. or Germany, generating an average daily volume of $2 million or more, and a free float of at least 10%.
Nvidia (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/nvda-stock-quote/">NVDA</a>) is the largest of <a href="https://www.globalxetfs.com/funds/botz/#documents">43 holdings</a> with a 14.72% weighting. Nvidia is a big reason BOTZ is up more than 26% year-to-date.&nbsp;I&rsquo;m also quite fond of its second and third-largest holdings: Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/isrg-stock-quote/">ISRG</a>) and ABB (OTCMKTS:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/abbny-stock-quote/">ABBNY</a>), with weightings of 9.69% and 8.28%, respectively.&nbsp;
The top three industries by weight are industrial machinery (24.1%), semiconductors (14.7%), and medical specialties (13.6%). The weighted average market cap is $176.2 billion.&nbsp;
BOTZ is the one if you&rsquo;re looking for a thematic ETF dominated by large-cap stocks.
<h2>VanEck Gaming ETF (BJK)</h2>
<div><img src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/dice-chance-gamble-1600-300x169.jpg" alt="A photo of 2 red dice rolling on a black mirrored background." width="300" height="169"><div>Source: 7th Sun / Shutterstock.com</div></div>
VanEck Gaming ETF (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/bjk-stock-quote/">BJK</a>) was the first U.S.-listed ETF to focus on the global gaming industry. Launched in January 2008, <a href="https://www.vaneck.com/us/en/investments/gaming-etf-bjk/overview/">it tracks the performance</a> of the MVIS Global Gaming Index. To be eligible for inclusion in the index, a company must generate at least 50% of its revenue from gambling.
Unfortunately, gambling ETFs have yet to gain traction with investors, but with sports betting coming on, that may change.&nbsp;
In addition to generating more than 50% of their revenue from gambling, the companies in the index have market capitalizations of $150 million or greater, a three-month average daily volume of over $1 million, and a minimum monthly trading volume of 250,000 shares in each of the past six months.&nbsp;
A nice positive: BJK&rsquo;s one-year return of 19.8% is nearly double that of the S&amp;P 500.&nbsp;
The ETF has 42 holdings, with the top five accounting for 34% of the fund&rsquo;s $60 million net assets. It&rsquo;s been a while since the ETF&rsquo;s had a breakout quarter. Its best three-month period since inception was 34.9% in Q2 2009.
Of the top five, I like VICI Properties (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/vici-stock-quote/">VICI</a>) because it&rsquo;s more <a href="https://investorplace.com/2023/07/3-sp-500-stocks-to-own-for-the-next-50-years/">a real estate play</a> than a bet on gambling.
<h2>Roundhill S&amp;P Global Luxury ETF (LUXX)</h2>
<div><img src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/global-earth-connections-mapped-300x169.jpg" alt="Global network of map points" width="300" height="169"><div>Source: Blue Planet Studio/Shutterstock.com</div></div>
On Aug. 23, Roundhill launched the Roundhill S&amp;P Global Luxury ETF (NYSEARCA:LUXX), an ETF that <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/roundhill-investments-launches-global-luxury-etf-nyse-arca-luxx-301908063.html">tracks the performance</a> of the S&amp;P Global Luxury Index, a collection of 80 leading global luxury companies from Asia, Europe, and North America.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&ldquo;Luxury goods have shown resilience through challenging economic conditions, and we believe the sector has long-term growth potential,&rdquo; said Dave Mazza, Chief Strategy Officer at Roundhill Investments. &ldquo;We are excited to offer investors efficient, low cost access to gain access to the global luxury sector with the launch of LUXX.&rdquo;
As Roundhill stated in its press release, the global luxury market is expected to grow between 2022 and 2030 by 50% to $600 billion annually.&nbsp;
This isn&rsquo;t the first time a luxury-themed fund has hit the markets. In <a href="https://etfexpress.com/2007/08/09/claymore-securities-launches-global-luxury-etf/">August 2007</a>, Claymore Securities (now part of <a href="https://ir.blackrock.com/news-and-events/press-releases/press-releases-details/2012/BlackRock-Completes-Acquisition-of-Claymore-Investments/default.aspx#:~:text=(NYSE%3A%20BLK)%20today%20announced,operate%20under%20the%20BlackRock%20name.">BlackRock</a>) launched the Claymore/Robb Report Global Luxury Index ETF, which tracked the index of the same name. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/10/12/742312/list-of-49-etf-closures-for-2010">It closed in2010</a>.&nbsp; &nbsp;
However, as more billionaires and near-billionaires have been minted in the past decade, the luxury market has become more of a thing. The top 15 holdings are a who&rsquo;s who of luxury. My favorite luxury stock, LVMH (OTCMKTS:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/lvmuy-stock-quote/">LVMUY</a>), is the second-largest holding, weighted at 7.9%.
LUXX has 79 holdings and charges a reasonable 0.45%. It will be interesting to see if it can gain traction with investors.&nbsp;
On the date of publication, Will Ashworth did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com<a href="https://investorplace.com/corporate/investorplace-publishing-guidelines/"> Publishing Guidelines.</a>
<div>
Will Ashworth has written about investments full-time since 2008. Publications where he&rsquo;s appeared include InvestorPlace, The Motley Fool Canada, Investopedia, Kiplinger, and several others in both the U.S. and Canada. He particularly enjoys creating model portfolios that stand the test of time. He lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
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The post <a href="https://investorplace.com/2023/08/invest-in-ideas-3-must-buy-thematic-etfs-for-todays-trendspotters/">Invest in Ideas: 3 Must-Buy Thematic ETFs for Today&#8217;s Trendspotters</a> appeared first on <a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace</a>.

Invest in Ideas: 3 Must-Buy Thematic ETFs for Today's Trendspotters

Casino stocks dip as investors eye consumer spending headwinds

<a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice &amp; Trading Tips</a>
With the 2023 NFL season underway, sports bets are surging. In fact, <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2023-09-13/online-bets-on-nfl-games-surged-in-week-1-as-legal-sports-betting-continues-to-grow">according to the Associated Press,</a> GeoComply Solutions &mdash; used to verify a customer&rsquo;s location &mdash; said it recorded 242.3 million geolocation transactions from legal U.S. sportsbooks. That&rsquo;s a 56% jump year-over-year, and numbers are only expected to soar. That should be great news for these top seven sports betting stocks.
&ldquo;The data records the amount of times the company was called on to verify a customer&rsquo;s location. It is considered a good indicator for at least a minimum level of sports betting activity, more than 80% of which is done online in the U.S.,&rdquo; added the AP. In addition, &ldquo;over 1.1 million new player accounts were created in the first week of this year&rsquo;s NFL season, an increase of over 40% from the same period a year ago.&rdquo;
And that&rsquo;s just week one.
As noted by the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/danirvine/2023/09/13/a-look-at-sports-betting-stocks-as-the-nfl-season-kicks-off/#:~:text=That%20figure%20represents%20a%2056.6,28%25%20of%20the%20adult%20population.">American Gaming Association,</a> 73.5 million Americans plan to bet on the 2023 season &mdash; up from about 46 million last year. The best part: As the NFL betting excitement builds, these sports betting stocks should thrive.
<h2>Sports Betting Stocks: DraftKings (DKNG)</h2>
<div><img src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/dkng_draftkings1600-300x169.png" alt="A man opens the DraftKings (DKNG) app from his iPhone. DraftKings is an American daily fantasy sports contest and sports betting operator. DKNG Stock Forecast" width="300" height="169"><div>Source: Tada Images / Shutterstock.com</div></div>
The last time I mentioned DraftKings (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/dkng-stock-quote/">DKNG</a>), it traded at around $27 <a href="https://investorplace.com/2023/08/3-gambling-stocks-to-buy-as-nfl-preseason-kicks-off/">on Aug. 17.</a> It&rsquo;s now up to $31, and if it can break above resistance around $34, it could run to $40. Also, <a href="https://investorplace.com/2023/08/3-gambling-stocks-to-buy-as-nfl-preseason-kicks-off/">as I noted on Aug. 17</a>, CEO Jason Robins noted this is the &ldquo;most important time of year for us&hellip;This is when we acquire the most customers when we have the biggest opportunity to gain more market share, and when we generate the most revenue and the most EBITDA.&rdquo; Barclays likes the DKNG stock here, raising its price target to $32 from $30 a share.
Helping, in August, Truist analyst Barry Jonas upgraded the DKNG stock to a Buy rating with a $44 price target. The analyst cited DKNG&rsquo;s second-quarter numbers and raised guidance for the hike. In fact, the company posted a positive EBITDA of $73 million, which beat analyst estimates of $20.6 million. It was also a sizable jump from the $118 million EBITDA loss posted a year earlier.
<h2>Roundhill Sports Betting &amp; iGaming ETF (BETZ)</h2>
<div><img src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/sports-betting-stocks-300x169.jpg" alt="sports betting stocks man celebrating winning bet on match, bookmaker app" width="300" height="169"><div>Source: Motortion Films / Shutterstock.com</div></div>
On Aug. 17, I also mentioned Roundhill Sports Betting &amp; iGaming ETF (NYSEARCA:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/betz-stock-quote/">BETZ</a>) because it allows for strong diversification at a low cost. At the time, BETZ traded at around $17. It hit a high of $17.63 and pulled back to $17.25, where it again found strong support.
With an expense ratio of 0.75%, it holds a position in DraftKings, Flutter Entertainment (OTCMKTS:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/pdypy-stock-quote/">PDYPY</a>), MGM Resorts (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/mgm-stock-quote/">MGM</a>), and Penn Entertainment (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/penn-stock-quote/">PENN</a>). Also, given the numbers already generated by betting companies, I&rsquo;d like to eventually see BETZ run back to $19 a share.
<h2>Sports Betting Stocks: Penn Entertainment (PENN)</h2>
<div><img src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/penn1600-300x169.png" alt="In this photo illustration, the Penn Entertainment (PENN) logo is displayed on a smartphone mobile screen." width="300" height="169"><div>Source: rafapress / Shutterstock.com</div></div>
After a dismal pullback, Penn Entertainment is showing big signs of life. In fact, on Thursday, the stock jumped about $1.90 a share on a volume spike to over 8 million shares, as compared to a daily average volume of a little more than 5 million. All after <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/09/14/this-sports-betting-company-is-a-good-short-term-buy-deutsche-bank-says.html">Deutsche Bank put out a short-term Buy rating</a> on PENN, with a $29 price target.
<a href="https://headtopics.com/us/this-sports-betting-company-is-a-good-short-term-buy-deutsche-bank-says-44331505" target="_blank">Analyst Carlo Santarelli</a> said, &ldquo;Over the near term, we believe a catalyst stack of events, coupled with an inexpensive valuation, relatively elevated short interest and limited investor interest on the long side, create a favorable setup for shares.&rdquo;
Helping, Penn Entertainment&rsquo;s ESPN BET will launch in November. The rebrand will include a mobile app, site and retail locations. With earnings, the company <a href="https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/PENN-ENTERTAINMENT-INC-10436/news/PENN-Entertainment-Q2-earnings-release-44562927/" target="_blank">recently reported</a> revenues of $1.67 billion &mdash; a 2.9% year-over-year improvement. It also posted a net income of $78.1 million and a net income margin of 4.7%. A year earlier, net income came in at $26.1 million with a net income margin of just 1.6%.
<h2>Gambling.com Group (GAMB)</h2>
<div><img src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/gambling-stocks-poker-1600-300x169.jpg" alt="two playing cards, an ace of spades and a king of spades, leaned against a stack of black and red poker chips. represents gambling stocks." width="300" height="169"><div>Source: shutterstock.com/Dugger94621</div></div>
Gambling.com Group (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/gamb-stock-quote/">GAMB</a>) has been just as hot. Since June, GAMB popped from a low of about $9.50 to a recent high of $14.83. Helping, Jefferies recently raised its price target to $18 from $15. B. Riley raised its target to $17 from $14. Truist raised its target to $17 from $14. And Craig-Hallum raised to $18 from $15. Even better, the company crushed earnings.
Revenues soared 63% to $25.97 million. North American <a href="https://www.gambling.com/corporate/investors/media/document/8dbd161e-b2f2-4419-848b-6e0ba009d23b/assets/GAMB%20-2Q%202023%20Results%20FINAL.pdf?disposition=inline" target="_blank">revenue</a> was up 115% to $13.4 million. Adjusted EBITDA was up 161% to $9.42 million. And new customer counts jumped 60% year over year to 91,000. Then GAMB raised its full-year revenue guidance to between $100 million and $104 million and said it expects to see adjusted EBITDA between $36 million and $40 million.
<h2>Sports Betting Stocks: VanEck Gaming ETF (BJK)</h2>
<div><img src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/baseball_sports_betting_1600-300x169.jpg" alt="A baseball glove rests on a field with a baseball and several hundred dollar bills inside." width="300" height="169"><div>Source: KAMONRAT / Shutterstock.com</div></div>
Another hot gaming ETF to consider is the VanEck Gaming ETF (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/bjk-stock-quote/">BJK</a>), which tracks companies involved in casinos and hotels, sports betting, lottery services, gaming services and gaming technology. With an expense ratio of 0.65%, some of its top holdings include Flutter Entertainment, Vici Properties (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/vici-stock-quote/">VICI</a>), Las Vegas Sands (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/lvs-stock-quote/">LVS</a>), DraftKings, and Wynn Resorts (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/wynn-stock-quote/">WYNN</a>).
After a recent pullback to double-bottom support at around $42, the BJK ETF is starting to pivot higher. Based on current NFL gambling numbers and solid momentum, I&rsquo;d like to see the ETF again challenge its prior high of $47.50 shortly.
<h2>Flutter Entertainment (PDYPY)</h2>
<div><img src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/pdypy-stock-1-300x169.jpg" alt="The front of a Paddy Power shop from Flutter Entertainment (PDYPY) in Derby, United Kingdom." width="300" height="169"><div>Source: shawnwil23 / Shutterstock.com</div></div>
Or, take a look at Flutter Entertainment, which is just starting to pivot from around $87 a share. Now, if it can break above prior resistance around $92, the stock could potentially retest $100 shortly. Even better, Flutter&rsquo;s FanDuel has a 50% stake in the U.S. sports betting market, according to Action Network, after holding a 42% share in September.
In addition, the company swung to a profit in the first half of the year as its U.S. business reached profitability. <a href="https://www.morningstar.com/news/dow-jones/202308092496/flutter-entertainment-swings-to-pretax-profit-on-us-business-boost">As noted by Morningstar,</a> &ldquo;Pretax profit for the half year ended June 30 was 82.7 million pounds ($105.4 million) compared with a loss of GBP51.4 million for the comparable period last year.&rdquo;
<h2>MGM Resorts (MGM)</h2>
<div><img src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/mgm-stock-1-300x169.jpg" alt="A photo of the MGM logo on the MGM casino building." width="300" height="169"><div>Source: Michael Neil Thomas / Shutterstock.com</div></div>
There&rsquo;s also MGM Resorts, which recently found strong support at $41.58 a share. Helping, its <a href="https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2023/07/28/68090-betmgm-reports-944m-revenue-for-h1-reaffirms-full-year-guidance-and-path-to-profitability">sports betting revenue</a> hit $944 million during the first six months of the year and could head to $2 billion for the full year.
Also, in its most recent earnings report, the company&rsquo;s EPS jumped to 59 cents from 4 cents the previous year. BetMGM saw first-quarter net gaming income jump $467 million. It did achieve positive EBITDA in the second quarter and anticipates second-half profitability.
As noted by <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mgm-resorts-international-reports-second-quarter-2023-financial-and-operating-results-301891750.html">Bill Hornbuckle, CEO and president of MGM Resorts,</a> &ldquo;We are encouraged by the pacing of both Formula 1 and the Super Bowl and the announced relocation of the A&rsquo;s, which will further solidify Las Vegas as the sports and entertainment capital of the world.&rdquo;
On the date of publication, Ian Cooper did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com&nbsp;<a href="https://investorplace.com/corporate/investorplace-publishing-guidelines/">Publishing Guidelines.</a>
<div>
Ian Cooper, a contributor to InvestorPlace.com, has been analyzing stocks and options for web-based advisories since 1999.
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The post <a href="https://investorplace.com/2023/09/7-sports-betting-stocks-worth-a-gamble-as-football-season-kicks-off/">7 Sports Betting Stocks Worth a Gamble as Football Season Kicks Off</a> appeared first on <a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace</a>.

7 Sports Betting Stocks Worth a Gamble as Football Season Kicks Off

The gaming industry has evolved from a leisure activity to a more serious endeavor. Growing internet penetration and the adoption of advanced technologies make this industry well-positioned for solid growth. So, let's analyze whether Nintendo (NTDOY), Activision Blizzard (ATVI), and Electronic Arts (EA) are a Buy or Sell. Keep reading... The gaming industry is well-positioned for growth as online gaming, offering pleasure, entertainment, and social opportunities, has thrived despite recent economic challenges.
To that end, it could be wise to buy fundamentally strong entertainment stocks: Nintendo Co., Ltd. (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/NTDOY/">NTDOY</a>), Activision Blizzard, Inc. (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/ATVI/">ATVI</a>), and Electronic Arts Inc. (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/EA/">EA</a>).
Before diving deeper into the fundamentals of these stocks, let's discuss why the entertainment industry is well-positioned for growth.
The gaming industry did well during the pandemic as people were stuck indoors, and the number of first-time gamers spiked. This had a positive impact on console and video game purchases. From a casual, sporadic hobby, gaming has become a more serious, ongoing interest.
The popularity of eSports, mobile gaming, and online gaming, along with factors like rising internet penetration, faster connectivity thanks to 5G, and the emergence of cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR), are all helping to fuel the growth of the gaming industry.
The mobile gaming market is expected to grow from $141.71 billion in 2023 to $300.47 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/mobile-gaming-market-size-share-224700034.html#:~:text=The%20Mobile%20Gaming%20Market%20size,positively%20affected%20due%20to%20pandemics.">16.2%</a>. Furthermore, the global gaming market is anticipated to reach $665.77 billion in 2030, growing at a <a href="https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/gaming-market-105730">CAGR of 13.1%</a>. Investor interest in gaming stocks is evident from the VanEck Vectors Gaming ETF's (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/BJK/">BJK</a>)  18.2% returns over the past year.
Considering these conducive trends, let's take a look at the fundamentals of the three above-mentioned <a href="https://stocknews.com/category/entertainment-video-games/">Entertainment – Toys &amp; Video Games</a> stocks, beginning with the third choice.
Stock #3: Nintendo Co., Ltd. (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/NTDOY/">NTDOY</a>)
Headquartered in Kyoto, Japan, NTDOY develops, manufactures, and sells home entertainment products in Japan, the Americas, Europe, and internationally. It also offers video game platforms, playing cards, Karuta, other products, handheld and home console hardware systems, and related software.
In terms of the trailing-12-month <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/ebit.asp">EBIT</a> margin, NTDOY's 33.50% is 294% higher than the 8.50% industry average. Likewise, its 17.29% trailing-12-month levered FCF margin is 103.4% higher than the 8.50% industry average. Furthermore, the stock's 28.18% trailing-12-month net income margin is 582.7% higher than the 4.13% industry average.
NTDOY's net sales for the first quarter ended June 30, 2023, increased 50% year-over-year to ¥461.34 billion ($3.12 billion). Its operating profit increased 82.4% over the prior-year quarter to ¥185.44 billion ($1.25 billion).
The company's profit attributable to owners of parent rose 52.1% year-over-year to ¥181.02 billion ($1.23 billion). In addition, its profit per share came in at ¥155.48, representing an increase of 52.7% year-over-year.
For fiscal 2024, NTDOY's revenue is expected to increase 4% year-over-year to $10.84 billion. Over the past six months, the stock has gained 12.9% to close the last trading session at $10.84.
NTDOY's strong fundamentals are reflected in its <a href="https://stocknews.com/powr-ratings/">POWR Ratings</a>. It has an overall rating of B, which translates to a Buy in our proprietary rating system. The POWR ratings assess stocks by 118 different factors, each with its own weighting.
It has an A grade for Quality and a B for Growth. Within the <a href="https://stocknews.com/category/entertainment-video-games/">Entertainment – Toys &amp; Video Games</a> industry, it is ranked #7 out of 19 stocks. To see NTDOY's Value, Momentum, Stability, and Sentiment ratings, <a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/NTDOY/">click here.</a>
Stock #2: Activision Blizzard, Inc. (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/ATVI/">ATVI</a>) 
ATVI develops and publishes interactive entertainment content and services in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates through three segments: Activision, Blizzard, and King.
On August 1, 2023, ATVI announced the launch of the TITANS expansion for Hearthstone, featuring 145 new cards, 11 Legendary Titan minions, the Forge keyword, and the return of the Magnetic keyword. The expansion brings arcane magic and ancient technologies from the TITANS to the game.
A new creative mode called Twist was introduced on September 1, offering unique gameplay variants.
In terms of the trailing-12-month EBITDA margin, ATVI's 26.67% is 44.2% higher than the 18.49% industry average. Likewise, its 24.88% trailing-12-month net income margin is 502.6% higher than the 4.13% industry average. Furthermore, its 25.58% trailing-12-month EBIT margin is 200.8% higher than the 8.50% industry average.
For the second quarter ended June 30, 2023, ATVI's net revenues increased 34.2% year-over-year to $2.21 billion. The company's operating income rose 72.5% year-over-year to $583 million. Its non-GAAP net income increased 90.5% year-over-year to $724 million. Its non-GAAP EPS came in at $0.91, representing an increase of 89.6% year-over-year.
Street expects ATVI's EPS and revenues for the quarter ending September 30, 2023, to increase 27.8% and 14.5% year-over-year to $0.87 and $2.09 billion, respectively. ATVI surpassed the consensus EPS estimates in three of the trailing four quarters. Over the past year, the stock has gained 21.2% to close the last trading session at $92.07.
ATVI's POWR Ratings reflect strong prospects. It has an overall rating of B, equating to a Buy in our proprietary rating system.
It has a B grade for Quality. Within the same industry, it is ranked #6. <a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/ATVI/">Click here</a> to see ATVI's Growth, Value, Momentum, Stability, and Sentiment ratings.
Stock #1: Electronic Arts Inc. (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/EA/">EA</a>)
EA develops, markets, publishes, and distributes games, content, and services for game consoles, PCs, mobile phones, and tablets worldwide. It develops and publishes games and services across various genres, such as sports, racing, first-person shooter, action, role-playing, and simulation, and licenses games from others.
On September 7, 2023, EA and UFC announced the launch of EA SPORTS UFC 5 on October 27, 2023, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X&#x7C;S. Developed on the Frostbite Engine for the first time, UFC 5 features the all-new Real Impact System and delivers an authentic MMA experience with enhanced graphics and gameplay. The enhanced physics and animations create a lifelike Octagon experience.
On August 22, 2023, EA and Ascendant Studios launched Immortals of Aveum, a single-player, first-person magic shooter powered by Unreal Engine 5.1, set in an original fantasy universe. It's available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X&#x7C;S, and PC via the EA app, Steam, and Epic Games Store worldwide.
In terms of the trailing-12-month levered EBIT margin, EA's 20.90% is 145.8% higher than the 8.50% industry average. Likewise, its 75.81% trailing-12-month gross profit margin is 53.6% higher than the 49.37% industry average. Furthermore, the stock's 11.78% trailing-12-month net income margin is 185.2% higher than the 4.13% industry average.
EA's total net revenues for the fiscal first quarter ended June 30, 2023, rose 8.9% year-over-year to $1.92 billion. Its gross profit rose 7.1% year-over-year to $1.56 billion. The company's operating income increased 22.9% over the prior-year quarter to $542 million.
Its net income increased 29.3% year-over-year to $402 million. Also, its EPS came in at $1.47, representing an increase of 32.4% year-over-year.
Analysts expect EA's EPS for the September 30, 2023 quarter to increase 0.4% year-over-year to $1.26. Likewise, its revenue for the same quarter is expected to increase 1% year-over-year to $1.77 billion. Over the past six months, the stock has gained 6.8% to close the last trading session at $121.
It's no surprise that EA has an overall rating of B, which translates to a Buy in our proprietary POWR Ratings system.
It has an A grade for Quality and a B for Value. It is ranked #3 in the Entertainment – Toys &amp; Video Games industry. In total, we rate EA on eight different levels. Beyond what we stated above, we also have given EA grades for Growth, Momentum, Stability, and Sentiment. <a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/EA/">Get all the EA's ratings here.</a>
What To Do Next?
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<hr />
ATVI shares were trading at $92.47 per share on Wednesday afternoon, up $0.40 (+0.43%). Year-to-date, ATVI has gained 22.10%, versus a 17.30% rise in the benchmark S&amp;P 500 index during the same period.
<hr><div style="clear:both;"></div> <h2>About the Author: Abhishek Bhuyan</h2> <img src='https:/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ABhuyan.jpg' style="float:left; padding:5px;width:125px;">Abhishek embarked on his professional journey as a financial journalist due to his keen interest in discerning the fundamental factors that influence the future performance of financial instruments.<a href="https://stocknews.com/authors/?author=abhishek-bhuyan">More...</a>The post <a href=https://stocknews.com/news/atvi-ntdoy-ea-bjk-electronic-arts-ea-and-2-more-entertainment-stocks-buy/>Electronic Arts (EA) and 2 More Entertainment Stocks – Buy or Sell?</a> appeared first on <a href=https://stocknews.com/>StockNews.com</a>

Electronic Arts (EA) and 2 More Entertainment Stocks – Buy or Sell?

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<a href="https://investorplace.com/industries/consumer-discretionary/travel/casino/">Casino stocks</a> are generally having a decent year in 2023. Two of the largest pure-play exchange traded funds (ETFs) are the VanEck Gaming ETF (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/bjk-stock-quote/">BJK</a>) and the Roundhill Sports Betting &amp; iGaming ETF (NYSEARCA:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/betz-stock-quote/">BETZ</a>). They&rsquo;re up 3.4% and 13.3% year-to-date (YTD). While that&rsquo;s less than the 19% return of the S&amp;P 500, the interest in sports betting in America looks to deliver even returns in 2024. 



Penn Entertainment (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/penn-stock-quote/">PENN</a>) is one example of a casino stock that is benefiting from the momentum that exists for casino companies offering their customers sports betting and why investors should be focusing on casino stocks right now. PENN stock is up nearly 34% over the past month on its <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/08/espn-betting-sportsbook-launches-via-penn-entertainment-partnership.html">partnership news</a> with ESPN and Walt Disney (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/dis-stock-quote/">DIS</a>). 



While PENN has done well in the near term, it hasn&rsquo;t performed nearly as well over the past five years, gaining just 19%, well below the index&rsquo;s 5-year return. 



 I believe there are other casino stocks that will benefit more than Penn in the sports betting era we now find ourselves. Here are my three picks to play the U.S. total addressable market for sports betting, which is expected to hit <a href="https://www.roundhillinvestments.com/etf/betz/">$37 billion</a> by 2033. 



<h2>DraftKings (DKNG)</h2>


<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/dkng_draftkings1600-300x169.png" alt="A man opens the DraftKings (DKNG) app from his iPhone. DraftKings is an American daily fantasy sports contest and sports betting operator. DKNG Stock Forecast"><div>Source: Tada Images / Shutterstock.com</div></div>


In October, Front Office Sports reported DraftKings (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/dkng-stock-quote/">DKNG</a>) had overtaken FanDuel, its biggest competitor, for the <a href="https://frontofficesports.com/draftkings-takes-market-share-lead-in-u-s-online-gambling/">lead in market share</a> for online gambling in the U.S. at 31%, 100 basis points higher. DraftKings has closed the gap in U.S. market share and its momentum is so great that CEO Jason Robins apparently <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/39b57820-1eba-45f6-8bb5-c750a8acbd6a">held talks</a> over the summer with 888 Holdings (OTCMKTS:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/eihdf-stock-quote/">EIHDF</a>) top shareholders about a possible bid for the struggling U.K. casino stock.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



&ldquo;I would have had to at least hear them out,&rdquo; the Financial Times <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/39b57820-1eba-45f6-8bb5-c750a8acbd6a">reported comments</a> in early November from a top 888 shareholder. &ldquo;888 can help backfill DraftKings with technology and knowhow, and in the long-run DraftKings wants to take over the world.&rdquo;



Barron&rsquo;s highlighted on Nov. 24 that <a href="https://www.barrons.com/articles/draftkings-stock-cathie-wood-362b999f?mod=livecoverage_web">76%</a> of analysts covering DKNG rate it a Buy, the highest level of bullishness since it went public in April 2020.&nbsp;All signs point to more gains in 2024, making it one of the great casino stocks to invest in right now.



<h2>Flutter Entertainment (PDYPY)</h2>


<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/gambling-stocks-poker-1600-300x169.jpg" alt="two playing cards, an ace of spades and a king of spades, leaned against a stack of black and red poker chips. represents gambling stocks."><div>Source: shutterstock.com/Dugger94621</div></div>


Flutter Entertainment (OTCMKTS:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/pdypy-stock-quote/">PDYPY</a>) is the Dublin-based owner of FanDuel. In CEO Peter Jackson&rsquo;s own words, reported by CNBC on Nov. 9, it has &ldquo;a billion dollars more in revenue in the U.S. [than DraftKings], so [it&rsquo;s] very clearly number one.&rdquo; This was in response to DraftKings assertion that it was the market leader for sports betting in the U.S. Disputed market share aside, Flutter <a href="https://frontofficesports.com/fanduel-parent-doubles-down-on-u-s-market-with-planned-stock-listing/">plans to list on the NYSE</a> sometime in Q1 2024. Once done, it will delist from the Euronext Dublin while maintaining a London Stock Exchange listing.



Flutter reported Q3 2023 results on Nov. 9 and its shares fell on disappointing results. While the average monthly players in the quarter rose by <a href="https://www.flutter.com/media/bwgkinyh/flutter-q3-trading-update-final-final.pdf">16%</a> to 11.14 million from 9.6 million a year earlier, its total revenue excluding currency only rose 13% year-over-year (YOY). This was due to slower growth from its sports betting revenues, which accounted for 55% of revenue, down from 60% in Q3 2022.



For 2023, it expects U.S. revenue and adjusted EBITDA of $4.7 billion and $180 million, respectively. It expects adjusted EBITDA of 1.44 billion British pounds ($1.82 billion) from its non-U.S. business.&nbsp;



Investors who are risk averse should like Flutter&rsquo;s profitability relative to DraftKings, and should consider this as one of the best casino stocks to buy right now.



<h2>Caesars Entertainment (CZR)</h2>


<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/czr-stock-1-300x169.jpg" alt="Caesar's Palace (CZR) in Las Vegas"><div>Source: Jason Patrick Ross/Shutterstock.com</div></div>


Caesars Entertainment (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/czr-stock-quote/">CZR</a>), while ostensibly in the business of gambling, is also big on hospitality. On Nov. 17, it <a href="https://investor.caesars.com/news-releases/news-release-details/flamingo-las-vegas-opens-gordon-ramsay-burger-summer-2024">announced</a> the second Gordon Ramsay Burger location in Las Vegas would open this summer, making it the famed chef&rsquo;s seventh restaurant to open in Sin City. There&rsquo;s plenty to attract non-gamblers to Las Vegas, so Caesar&rsquo;s various resorts will continue to do very well without gambling, its main attraction.&nbsp;



When it comes to Caesars Sportsbook, it <a href="https://investor.caesars.com/news-releases/news-release-details/caesars-sportsbook-launches-maine-mobile-and-desktop">announced</a> on Nov. 3 that it had launched its mobile and desktop apps for online sports wagering in Maine through its partnership with the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, the Mi&rsquo;kmaq Nation and the Penobscot Nation.&nbsp;After the addition of Maine, Caesars Sportsbook is now legal and operating online in <a href="https://oddsassist.com/sports-betting/sportsbooks/caesars/caesars-sportsbook-states/">21 states</a> and <a href="https://caesars.com/sportsbook-and-casino/on/">one</a> Canadian province. Overall, sports wagering of some kind is available in <a href="https://investor.caesars.com/static-files/1b88fd4d-d875-4123-9c85-a7ac74f1fda6">30 jurisdictions</a> across North America.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



In Q3 2023 the company&rsquo;s digital segment revenues were $215 million, just 3% higher than a year earlier. However, on the bright side, its adjusted EBITDA was $2 million, up considerably from a $38 million loss in Q3 2022.



Overall, Caesars&rsquo; total revenue in the third quarter was $2.99 billion, 3.7% higher than a year earlier, with adjusted EBITDA of $1.04 billion, or 35% of revenue. With multiple avenues for profitability, CZR stock appears to be one of the best casino stocks to buy at this time.



On the date of publication, Will Ashworth did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com<a href="https://investorplace.com/corporate/investorplace-publishing-guidelines/"> Publishing Guidelines</a>.
<div>Will Ashworth has written about investments full-time since 2008. Publications where he&rsquo;s appeared include InvestorPlace, The Motley Fool Canada, Investopedia, Kiplinger, and several others in both the U.S. and Canada. He particularly enjoys creating model portfolios that stand the test of time. He lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia.</div><h3>More From InvestorPlace</h3>
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