0001137360 2011-12-31 2011-12-31 0001137360 cik0001137360:S000020425Member 2011-12-31 2011-12-31 0001137360 cik0001137360:S000020425Member cik0001137360:C000057274Member 2011-12-31 2011-12-31 0001137360 cik0001137360:S000020425Member rr:AfterTaxesOnDistributionsMember cik0001137360:C000057274Member 2011-12-31 2011-12-31 0001137360 cik0001137360:S000020425Member rr:AfterTaxesOnDistributionsAndSalesMember cik0001137360:C000057274Member 2011-12-31 2011-12-31 0001137360 cik0001137360:S000020425Member cik0001137360:index_SNetwork_Global_Gaming_Index_reflects_no_deduction_for_fees_expenses_or_taxesMember 2011-12-31 2011-12-31 0001137360 cik0001137360:S000020425Member cik0001137360:index_SP_500_Index_reflects_no_deduction_for_fees_expenses_or_taxesMember 2011-12-31 2011-12-31 xbrli:pure iso4217:USD Van Eck Associates Corporation (the "Adviser") has agreed to waive fees and/or pay Fund expenses to the extent necessary to prevent the operating expenses of the Fund (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, interest expense, offering costs, trading expenses, taxes and extraordinary expenses) from exceeding 0.65% of the Fund's average daily net assets per year until at least September 21, 2013. During such time, the expense limitation is expected to continue until the Fund's Board of Trustees acts to discontinue all or a portion of such expense limitation. MARKET VECTORS ETF TRUST 485BPOS false 0001137360 2011-12-31 2012-09-19 2012-09-21 2012-09-21 MARKET VECTORS GAMING ETF Investment Objective Market Vectors Gaming ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to replicate as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of the Market Vectors® Global Gaming Index (the “Index”). Fund Fees and Expenses This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund (“Shares”). 0.0000 0.0050 0.0016 0.0066 -0.0001 0.0065 ~ http://vaneck.com/20120919/role/ScheduleShareholderFees20001 column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact cik0001137360_S000020425Member column rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis compact * row primary compact * ~ ~ http://vaneck.com/20120919/role/ScheduleOperatingExpenses20002 column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact cik0001137360_S000020425Member column rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis compact * row primary compact * ~ 2013-09-21 Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) This example does not take into account brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund. Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) Expense Example This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund. 66 210 367 822 ~ http://vaneck.com/20120919/role/ScheduleExpenseExample20003 column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact cik0001137360_S000020425Member column rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis compact * row primary compact * ~ The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% annual return and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be: Portfolio Turnover The Fund will pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when it purchases and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will cause the Fund to incur additional transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, may affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 19% of the average value of its portfolio. 0.19 Principal Investment Strategies The Fund normally invests at least 80% of its total assets in securities that comprise the Fund’s benchmark index. The Index is comprised of companies that generate at least 50% of their revenues from casinos and hotels, sports betting (including internet gambling and racetracks) and lottery services as well as gaming services, gaming technology and gaming equipment. Such companies may include small- and medium-capitalization companies and foreign issuers. The Fund’s 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and requires 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders before it can be changed. The Fund, using a “passive” or indexing investment approach, attempts to approximate the investment performance of the Index by investing in a portfolio of securities that generally replicates the Index. The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund’s performance and that of the Index before fees and expenses will be 95% or better. A figure of 100% would indicate perfect correlation. The Fund may concentrate its investments in a particular industry or group of industries to the extent that the Index concentrates in an industry or group of industries. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Index is concentrated in the consumer discretionary sector and the gaming industry. The Fund may concentrate its investments in a particular industry or group of industries to the extent that the Index concentrates in an industry or group of industries. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Index is concentrated in the consumer discretionary sector and the gaming industry. Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund Investors in the Fund should be willing to accept a high degree of volatility in the price of the Fund’s Shares and the possibility of significant losses. An investment in the Fund involves a substantial degree of risk. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Therefore, you should consider carefully the following risks before investing in the Fund. Risk of Investing in the Gaming Industry. Companies in the gaming industry include those engaged in casino operations, race track operations, sports and horse race betting operations, online gaming operations and/or the provision of related equipment and technologies. Because as currently constituted the Index is expected to be concentrated in the gaming industry, the Fund will be sensitive to changes in, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the gaming industry. Companies in the gaming industry are highly regulated, and state and Federal legislative changes (as well as the laws of other countries) can significantly impact their ability to operate in certain jurisdictions, the activities in which such companies are allowed to engage and the profitability of companies in the industry. Companies in the same industry often face similar obstacles, issues and regulatory burdens. As a result, the securities of gaming companies owned by the Fund may react similarly to, and move in unison with, one another. The gaming industry may also be negatively affected by changes in economic conditions as well as changes in consumer tastes. In addition, the gaming industry is characterized by the use of various forms of intellectual property, which are dependent upon patented technologies, trademarked brands and proprietary information. Companies operating in the gaming industry are subject to the risk of significant litigation regarding intellectual property rights, which may adversely affect and financially harm companies in which the Fund may invest. Furthermore, certain jurisdictions may impose additional restrictions on securities issued by gaming companies organized or operated in such jurisdictions that may be held by the Fund. Risk of Investing in the Consumer Discretionary Sector. The consumer discretionary sector includes, among others, automotive, household durable goods and apparel manufacturers and companies that provide retail, lodging, leisure or food and beverage services. Because as currently constituted the Index is expected to be concentrated in the consumer discretionary sector, the Fund will be sensitive to changes in, and its performance may depend on, the overall condition of the consumer discretionary sector. Companies engaged in the consumer discretionary sector are subject to fluctuations in supply and demand. These companies may also be adversely affected by changes in consumer spending as a result of world events, political and economic conditions, commodity price volatility, changes in exchange rates, imposition of import controls, increased competition, depletion of resources and labor relations. Risk of Investing in Foreign Issuers. Investments in the securities of non-U.S. issuers involve risks beyond those associated with investments in U.S. securities. These additional risks include greater market volatility, the availability of less reliable financial information, higher transactional and custody costs, taxation by foreign governments, decreased market liquidity and political instability. Because the Fund may invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies and some of the income received by the Fund may be in foreign currencies, changes in currency exchange rates may negatively impact the Fund’s return. In addition, the Fund may invest in depositary receipts which involve similar risks to those associated with investments in foreign securities. Risk of Investing in Small- and Medium-Capitalization Companies. Small- and medium-capitalization companies may be more volatile and more likely than large-capitalization companies to have narrower product lines, fewer financial resources, less management depth and experience and less competitive strength. Returns on investments in securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of larger companies. Market Risk. The prices of the securities in the Fund are subject to the risks associated with investing in the securities market, including general economic conditions and sudden and unpredictable drops in value. An investment in the Fund may lose money. Index Tracking Risk. The Fund’s return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs a number of operating expenses not applicable to the Index and incurs costs associated with buying and selling securities, especially when rebalancing the Fund’s securities holdings to reflect changes in the composition of the Index. Because the Fund bears the costs and risks associated with buying and selling securities while such costs are not factored in to the return of the Index, the Fund’s return may deviate significantly from the return of the Index. In addition, the Fund may not be able to invest in certain securities included in the Index, or invest in them in the exact proportions they represent of the Index, due to legal restrictions or limitations imposed by the governments of certain countries or a lack of liquidity on stock exchanges in which such securities trade. The Fund is expected to value certain of its investments based on fair value prices. To the extent the Fund calculates its NAV based on fair value prices and the value of the Index is based on securities’ closing prices on local foreign markets (i.e., the value of the Index is not based on fair value prices), the Fund’s ability to track the Index may be adversely affected. Replication Management Risk. An investment in the Fund involves risks similar to those of investing in any fund of equity securities traded on an exchange, such as market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic and political developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in security prices. However, because the Fund is not “actively” managed, unless a specific security is removed from the Index, the Fund generally would not sell a security because the security’s issuer was in financial trouble. Therefore, the Fund’s performance could be lower than other types of mutual funds that may actively shift their portfolio assets to take advantage of market opportunities or to lessen the impact of a market decline or a decline in the value of one or more issuers. Non-Diversified Risk. The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” investment company under the 1940 Act. Therefore, the Fund may invest a relatively high percentage of its assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of its assets in a single company. As a result, the gains and losses on a single investment may have a greater impact on the Fund’s NAV and may make the Fund more volatile than more diversified funds. Concentration Risk. The Fund’s assets may be concentrated in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries to the extent the Index concentrates in a particular sector or sectors or industry or group of industries. Based on the current composition of the Index, it is expected that the Fund’s assets will be concentrated in the consumer discretionary sector and the gaming industry and that the Fund will be subject to the risk that economic, political or other conditions that have a negative effect on that sector and industry will negatively impact the Fund to a greater extent than if the Fund’s assets were invested in a wider variety of sectors or industries. The prices of the securities in the Fund are subject to the risks associated with investing in the securities market, including general economic conditions and sudden and unpredictable drops in value. An investment in the Fund may lose money. The Fund is classified as a "non-diversified" investment company under the 1940 Act. Therefore, the Fund may invest a relatively high percentage of its assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of its assets in a single company. As a result, the gains and losses on a single investment may have a greater impact on the Fund's NAV and may make the Fund more volatile than more diversified funds. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit with a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Performance The bar chart that follows shows how the Fund performed for the calendar years shown. The table below the bar chart shows the Fund’s average annual returns (before and after taxes). The bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by comparing the Fund’s performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual returns for one year compared with the Fund’s benchmark index and a broad measure of market performance. All returns assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The Fund’s past performance (before and after income taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at vaneck.com/etf. Annual Total Returns-Calendar Years 0.3747 0.3697 -0.0187 ~ http://vaneck.com/20120919/role/ScheduleAnnualTotalReturnsBarChart20004 column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact cik0001137360_S000020425Member column rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis compact cik0001137360_C000057274Member row primary compact * ~ Best Quarter: 0.3493 2009-06-30 Worst Quarter: -0.1889 2011-09-30 <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"> <tr style="FONT-SIZE:1PX"> <td width="20%" valign="top">   </td> <td width="15%" valign="top">   </td> <td width="15%" valign="top">   </td> <td width="50%" valign="top">   </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> Best Quarter: </td> <td valign="top"> +34.93% </td> <td valign="top"> 2Q ‘09 </td> <td valign="top">   </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> Worst Quarter: </td> <td valign="top"> -18.89% </td> <td valign="top"> 3Q ‘11 </td> <td valign="top">   </td> </tr> </table> Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2011 The after-tax returns presented in the table below are calculated using highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from those shown below. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. Prior to September 21, 2012, the Fund sought to replicate an index called the S-Network Global Gaming IndexSM. -0.0187 -0.0451 -0.0258 -0.0520 -0.0119 -0.0420 -0.0134 -0.0339 0.0211 0.0120 2008-01-22 ~ http://vaneck.com/20120919/role/ScheduleAverageAnnualReturnsTransposed20005 column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact cik0001137360_S000020425Member column rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis compact * column rr_PerformanceMeasureAxis compact * row primary compact * ~ The after-tax returns presented in the table below are calculated using highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. The Fund's past performance (before and after income taxes) is not necessarily indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future. vaneck.com/etf After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares of the Fund through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. The bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by comparing the Fund's performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund's average annual returns for one year compared with the Fund's benchmark index and a broad measure of market performance. (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) Prior to September 21, 2012, the Fund sought to replicate an index called the S-Network Global Gaming IndexSM.