Nature of Business

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Nature of Business

Note 1 – Nature of Business

Golden Entertainment, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”) is a diversified group of gaming companies that focus on distributed gaming (including tavern gaming) and casino and resort operations. On July 31, 2015, the Company acquired Sartini Gaming, Inc. (“Sartini Gaming”) through the merger of a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company with and into Sartini Gaming, with Sartini Gaming surviving as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (the “Merger”). The results of operations of Sartini Gaming and its subsidiaries have been included in the Company’s results subsequent to that date. In connection with the Merger, the Company’s name was changed from Lakes Entertainment, Inc. to Golden Entertainment, Inc. The Company’s common stock continues to be traded on the NASDAQ Global Market, and the Company’s ticker symbol was changed from “LACO” to “GDEN” effective August 4, 2015. See Note 3, Merger and Acquisitions, for information regarding the Merger.

The Company conducts its business through two reportable operating segments: Distributed Gaming and Casinos. The Company’s Distributed Gaming segment involves the installation, maintenance and operation of gaming and amusement devices in certain strategic, high-traffic, non-casino locations (such as grocery stores, convenience stores, restaurants, bars, taverns, saloons and liquor stores) in Nevada and Montana, and the operation of traditional, branded taverns targeting local patrons, primarily in the greater Las Vegas, Nevada metropolitan area. The Company’s Casinos segment consists of the Rocky Gap Casino Resort in Flintstone, Maryland (“Rocky Gap”) and three casinos in Pahrump, Nevada: Pahrump Nugget Hotel Casino (“Pahrump Nugget”), Gold Town Casino and Lakeside Casino & RV Park.

On January 29, 2016, the Company completed the acquisition of approximately 1,100 gaming devices from a distributed gaming operator in Montana, as well as certain other non-gaming assets and the right to operate within certain locations (the “Initial Montana Acquisition”). Additionally, on April 22, 2016, the Company completed the acquisition of approximately 1,800 gaming devices from a second distributed gaming operator in Montana, as well as amusement devices and other non-gaming assets and the right to operate within certain locations (the “Second Montana Acquisition” and, together with the Initial Montana Acquisition, the “Montana Acquisitions”). See Note 3, Merger and Acquisitions, for information regarding the Montana Acquisitions.