What VICI Is
VICI Properties is a New York-based REIT that owns the land and buildings under casinos, resorts and other entertainment venues. It was created in October 2017 when Caesars Entertainment Operating Company emerged from Chapter 11 and its creditors took ownership of the real estate. Edward Pitoniak has been CEO since then, with John Payne as President and COO. The shares trade on the NYSE as VICI.
How It Makes Money
VICI leases its properties to operators under long-term triple-net leases, so tenants pay taxes, insurance and upkeep. Most rent comes from master leases with Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts. It also lends to experiential developers. Because tenants run the venues, VICI had only 28 full-time employees at the end of 2025.
2025 Results and 2026 So Far
For 2025 VICI reported total revenues of $4.0 billion, up 4.1%, net income attributable to common stockholders of $2.8 billion and AFFO of $2.38 per diluted share. It owned 93 experiential assets at December 31, 2025. In the second quarter of 2026 revenue rose 5.7% to $1.1 billion and AFFO rose 7.8% to $679.6 million, while net income fell 39.1% to $526.5 million because of a $413.1 million non-cash CECL allowance swing. Full-year AFFO guidance is $2.45 to $2.47 per diluted share. In September 2026 the board raised the quarterly dividend 2.2% to $0.46.
2026 Deals
On April 30, 2026 VICI closed the $1.16 billion sale-leaseback of seven Nevada casinos from Golden Entertainment, with $87.0 million of initial annual rent. It bought Carambola Beach Resort in St. Croix for $20.3 million and committed about $55.2 million to redevelop it for Club Med. On September 28, 2026 it agreed to lease Century Mile and Century Downs in Alberta to Highfield Investment Group at ~$7.7 million (C$10.7 million) of initial annual rent, once Highfield buys their operations from Century Casinos.
Risks
Tenant concentration in Caesars and MGM is the central risk. Higher interest rates narrow the gap between acquisition yields and VICI's cost of capital, and the loan book adds credit-loss volatility to reported earnings. The stock fell about a quarter over the year to late September 2026, which makes equity funding of new deals more expensive. VICI is scheduled to report third-quarter 2026 results on October 28, 2026.