Merry Xmas

How to play Merry Xmas

By looking at four major gambling companies – Entain, Flutter, DraftKings and MGM Resorts International – it becomes clear why the sector should not be treated as a single trade.

Flutter has arguably the strongest online franchise of the four. Its share price fell from $282.33 on 18 September 2025, to $89.56 on 18 September this year, with a market valuation of $15.54 billion.

FanDuel remains the leading US sportsbook, while Flutter’s international businesses provide additional sources of growth. But that quality comes with high expectations.

What is Merry Xmas?

Within a common area inside the Polymarket headquarters, Manning skied high to catch a ball from a jugs machine, while he withstood a low tackle from a defender. “Good morning, Eli,” James proclaimed, before the two-time Super Bowl MVP tossed him the football outside an elevator adorned with the Polymarket logo. Seconds later, James exchanged a handshake with Jeter, a Hall of Fame shortstop who won five World Series titles with the New York Yankees. Last month, the Yankees became the first Major League Baseball club to directly partner with Polymarket.

The total cost of the ad has not been divulged by Polymarket, but it is fair to estimate that it fell in the millions given the high expenses of bringing aboard a prominent filmmaker such as Berg. Beyond director fees, Polymarket also had to budget for agency and concept fees, set construction and post-production costs that include visual effects, licensing and sound design. In late-August, Polymarket disclosed that it has sought a $21 billion valuation in a new funding round led by Donald Trump Jr’s venture firm, 1789 Capital.

Polymarket may defend any substantial investment in marketing given the overwhelming impact on customer acquisition that ensued. On Tuesday, Polymarket ranked first on the App Store in downloads for free finance apps, topping archrival Kalshi, Capital One Mobile and prominent payment providers PayPal and Venmo.

What is Merry Xmas?

In 2025, Brazil collected almost BRL10 billion ($1.97 billion) in tax revenue from the licensed sector. In the first seven months of this year alone, BRL8.7 billion generated by the activity was delivered to public coffers. The Federal Revenue Service itself estimates that the sector should reach BRL16 billion in revenue during 2026.

Besides revenue collection, another concern is legal and economic. Companies have paid over BRL2.5 billion for licences since the sector’s regulation. Certainly, the end of the activity would lead to litigation to recover the amounts paid and compensation for investments made. Furthermore, the revenue from betting is already included in the Annual Budget Law and the Budget Guidelines Law, which define the priorities for federal government spending.

What worries the sector is not just the threat of drastic measures against legalised betting. So far, the government has consistently fallen short in its attempts to curb the illegal market, which still represents almost half of the segment.