We recently published a list of 10 Largest Gambling Stocks of 2024. In this article, we are going to take a look at where VICI Properties Inc. (NYSE:VICI) stands against the other largest gambling stocks.

According to The Business Research Company, the global gambling market is expected to grow from $540.3 billion in 2023 to $744.8 billion in 2028, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.6%. Some major catalysts influencing the gambling industry include the legalization of gambling, rapid urbanization, increasing use of social media, and increasing involvement in sports betting applications. Factors that can hurt the growth are growing taxation on casinos and strict government oversight of the gambling industry.

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Two of the Leading Markets in the Gambling Industry

The gambling industry is evolving with more and more companies advancing in the sports betting arena. By the end of 2023, the gambling and casino industry had started showing signs of growth as strong gambling activity was experienced in Macau. According to the Statistics and Census Service, the tourist count crossed 28 million in Macau in 2023, increasing by 394.9% from 2022. In the U.S., Las Vegas continues to evolve and remain the largest gambling city in the country. According to Condé Nast Traveler, Las Vegas was the sixth most visited city for international visitors to the U.S. in 2023.

According to the hospitality consulting firm HVS, the Las Vegas Casino and Hotel Market hosted nearly 40.8 million visitors in 2023, surpassing the 40 million threshold for the first time since 2019. Between 2015 and 2019, over 42 million visitors traveled to Las Vegas each year before dropping to just over 19 million in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The deep effects of the pandemic are far behind now and tourism is back to normal in Las Vegas. In 2023, the gaming revenue for Clark County was around $13.5 billion, setting a market record for the second straight year. With new avenues and casino hotels, the gambling market is expected to continue its growth momentum.

Americans’ Support for Gambling

The majority of U.S. adults support casino gambling and sports betting. According to the American Gaming Association Survey, over 55% of U.S. citizens participated in some form of gambling in 2023, while more than 28% gambled at a physical casino. In addition, nearly 21% of people took part in sports betting. With increasing acceptance of gambling, 9-in-10 Americans find casino gambling to be acceptable for themselves or others. The gambling confidence among Americans is higher than ever before. Nearly 65% of Americans believe that the gambling industry is committed to supporting responsible gambling and overcoming problem gambling.

The gambling industry continues to thrive and the bullish sentiment remains strong among the investors. Over the 1 year, three of the largest gambling and sports betting ETFs have gained an average of over 27%, as of November 4. Roundhill Sports Betting & iGaming ETF (NYSEARCA:BETZ), Global X Video Games & Esports ETF (NASDAQGM:HERO), and VanEck Video Gaming and eSports ETF (NASDAQGM: ESPO) have soared over 16%, 24%, and 41%, respectively.

Our Methodology

To compile our list of the largest gambling stocks, we simply made a list of the ten most valuable gambling firms in terms of market capitalization that are traded on U.S. stock exchanges, as of November 4. We also mentioned the number of hedge funds that had invested in the stocks during Q2 2024, and the data for hedge fund investors was obtained from Insider Monkey’s database.

Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).

 VICI Properties Inc. (NYSE:VICI)

Market Capitalization: $33.57 Billion

No. of Hedge Fund Investors: 33

VICI Properties Inc. (NYSE:VICI) is another leading real estate investment trust (REIT) that specializes in owning and acquiring properties in the hospitality, gaming, and entertainment sectors. The company has properties in well-known locations including Caesars Palace, MGM Grand, and The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas. VICI Properties has a total of 93 experiential properties, comprising 54 gaming facilities and 39 additional venues across the U.S. and Canada. VICI’s properties are managed by top industry firms, and backed by long-term, triple-net lease agreements.

During the third quarter of 2024, VICI Properties (NYSE:VICI) exceeded the revenue estimates by $10.21 million, posting a total revenue of $964.67 million, marking a 6.7% increase despite economic challenges. The earnings per share increased 27.4% year-over-year to $0.70 and surpassed estimates by $0.03 per share. Earlier in Q2, management highlighted that they are committed to allocating up to $950 million for investments in key experiential properties, preferably the Venetian Resort and several Great Wolf Resorts. VICI expects these investments to yield a 7.9% return.

VICI Properties Inc. (NYSE:VICI) is committed to experiencing future growth in Adjusted Funds From Operations (AFFO) while diversifying its portfolio. The company aims to allocate capital to both gaming and non-gaming ventures. Las Vegas has been a successful market for the company and VICI plans to invest up to $700 million in renovations at the Venetian, which will lead to increased rent, as per Q2 plans. By the end of Q3, the company settled 7 million shares and received nearly $201 million under its forward sale agreements. The proceeds will go to renovation investment at the Venetian. To add to the context, the company collects more than 45% of its rent from the Las Vegas market.

Here is what Baron Real Estate Income Fund has to say about VICI Properties Inc. (NYSE:VICI) in its Q2 2023 investor letter:

“We have slightly decreased our already modest exposure to the triple net gaming REIT VICI Properties Inc. (NYSE:VICI), an owner of quality gaming, hospitality, and entertainment properties. The company pays a 6% dividend that is well covered, has a strong track record of making accretive acquisitions, and has additional opportunities for growth in the years ahead.”

Overall, VICI ranks 3rd on our list of largest gambling companies in 2024. While we acknowledge the potential of VICI as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than VICI but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.