BJK Overview

New York City Casino Licenses Approved: The New York State Gaming Commission has awarded three downstate casino licenses for projects in New York City, including Bally's in the Bronx, Hard Rock near Citi Field, and an expansion of Resorts World in Queens.

Projected Opening Timelines: Resorts World aims to open its full commercial casino by late March 2026, Hard Rock's project may open in phases starting in late 2027, and Bally's Bronx is expected to open in the mid-2030s.

Impact on New Jersey's Casino Industry: The new NYC casinos are anticipated to significantly threaten New Jersey's gaming revenue, with projections suggesting a potential 20% to 30% revenue loss for Atlantic City casinos.

Current Performance of New Jersey Casinos: Despite the looming competition, New Jersey's casino industry has seen a strong performance in 2025, with total gaming revenue increasing by 10.4% year-over-year, reaching $6.38 billion.

Gambling Loss Deductibility Changes: A new law set to take effect on January 1, 2026, will limit the deductibility of gambling losses to 90%, prompting concerns from lawmakers and industry groups about the potential negative impact on high-volume and professional bettors.

Phantom Income Tax Concerns: Gamblers who break even could still face taxes on "phantom" winnings, which may drive high-stakes gamblers to illegal offshore operators and discourage overall participation in legal betting, potentially harming casino and sportsbook revenues.

Legislative Efforts for Repeal: Representative Dina Titus has introduced the FAIR BET Act to restore full deductibility of gambling losses, arguing that the 90% cap forces taxpayers to pay taxes on income they do not actually retain.

Industry Support for Repeal: Major casino CEOs have collaborated with the American Gaming Association to rally support against the 90% cap, emphasizing the need to prevent it from becoming law during year-end tax negotiations.

ETF Renaming and Strategy: VanEck is rebranding its gaming ETF to the "VanEck Degen Economy ETF" to capitalize on the growing interest in digital finance and online betting, effective April 8.

Investment Focus Shift: The new ETF will broaden its investment scope to include companies generating significant revenue from "Millennial Finance" and the "Gig Economy," moving beyond traditional gaming sectors.

Background of 'Degen': The term "Degen," originally used in gambling, has evolved to describe high-risk traders in crypto and retail, reflecting a cultural shift in investment behavior.

Performance Context: The original gaming ETF has underperformed, with only a 3% increase this year, lagging behind the S&P 500.

End of Satellite Casinos: Macau's satellite casino era is concluding due to the 2022 amended Gaming Law, which restricts gaming to venues owned or controlled by the six concessionaires, eliminating third-party managed sites.

Closure of Remaining Satellites: Major casino operators are closing nearly all remaining satellite casinos, with Casino Landmark set to be the last to close on December 30, while they acquire properties for direct control.

Concessionaires Overview: The six gaming concessionaires in Macau include MGM China, Galaxy Entertainment, Venetian Macau, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, Wynn Resorts, and SJM Resorts.

Casino Stock Insights: The article mentions various Macau-related casino stocks, including Wynn Macau, Sands China, MGM China, Galaxy Entertainment, SJM Holdings, and Melco Resorts & Entertainment.

Gaming Revenue Growth: Gaming revenue in Nevada rose 5.0% in October to $1.35 billion, with the Las Vegas Strip seeing an 8.2% increase, despite declines in downtown Las Vegas and Reno properties.

Table Games Performance: Table games experienced a significant 23% increase in revenue, driven by a 69% surge in baccarat, which helped offset a 2.1% decline in slot machine revenue.

Sportsbook Contributions: Sportsbooks reported a remarkable 105% increase in gaming win compared to the previous year, contributing to the overall strong performance of the gaming sector.

Stock Performance: Notable stock movements included Caesars Entertainment (+4.0%), MGM Resorts (+4.3%), and Wynn Resorts (+3.2%), while Bally's Corporation saw a decline of 3.0%.

Gaming Win Decline: Gaming win on the Las Vegas Strip fell 5.5% in September to $687.8 million, reflecting weak tourism trends, particularly from international visitors, while statewide gaming win decreased by 2.3% to $1.28 billion.

Casino Performance Variations: Downtown Las Vegas casinos experienced a 2.0% decline in gaming win, whereas Reno casinos saw a 5.2% increase, highlighting regional disparities in gaming performance.

Table Game Struggles: Table/counter/card game gaming win dropped significantly by 16.8%, with baccarat revenue down 44% and roulette down 20.4%, contrasting with a 4.8% increase in slot machine revenue.

Caesars Entertainment Report: Caesars Entertainment reported a nearly 10% revenue decline for their Strip properties in Q3, attributing the downturn to lower leisure demand, reduced citywide visitation, and a drop in average daily rates.