Income Taxes

Caesars’ provision for income taxes during the interim reporting period for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018 has been calculated by applying an estimate of the annual effective tax rate (“AETR”) for the full year to “ordinary” income or loss (pre-tax income or loss excluding unusual or infrequently occurring discrete items) for the reporting period. We utilized a discrete effective tax rate method, as allowed by ASC 740-270 Income Taxes, Interim Reporting, to calculate taxes for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017. We determined that as small changes in estimated “ordinary” income would result in significant changes in the estimated AETR, the historical method would not provide a reliable estimate for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017.

Effective January 1, 2018, we adopted ASU 2016-16, Income Taxes (Topic 740), which provides amended guidance regarding intra-entity transfers of assets other than inventory and requires the recognition of any related income tax consequences when such transfers occur.

The SEC staff issued Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118 (“SAB 118”), which provides guidance for the accounting of the effects of the Tax Act. SAB 118 provides a measurement period that should not be extended past a year from the enactment date for companies to complete the accounting of the Tax Act under ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes (“ASC 740”). Companies that do not complete the accounting under ASC 740 for the tax effects of the Tax Act, must record a provisional estimate of the tax effects of the Tax Act. If a provisional estimate cannot be determined, a company should continue to apply ASC 740 based on the tax laws in effect immediately before the enactment of the Tax Act.

As of June 30, 2018, the Company has not completed the accounting for the tax effects of the Tax Act; however, the Company has made a reasonable estimate of the effects on the existing deferred tax balances and accrued a provisional income tax benefit of approximately $1.2 billion which was recorded in the period ended December 31, 2017. The amount of the estimated income tax benefit is (i) $797 million related to the net deferred tax benefit of the corporate rate reduction and (ii) $442 million related to the net deferred tax benefit of deferred tax assets which are now realizable due to the changing rules related to uses and limitations of net operating loss carryforwards created in tax years beginning after December 31, 2017. During the three months ended June 30, 2018, the Company revised its estimate of the effects on the existing deferred tax balances as of December 31, 2017, and accrued an additional provisional income tax benefit of $82 million. The total amount of the revised estimated income tax benefit is (i) $710 million related to the net deferred tax benefit of the corporate rate reduction and (ii) $569 million related to the net deferred tax benefit of deferred tax assets which are now realizable due to the changing rules related to uses and limitations of net operating loss carryforwards created in tax years beginning after December 31, 2017 and (iii) $42 million relating to the net deferred tax benefit of state deferred tax assets which are now realizable due to the changing rules related to interest expense disallowance for those states which conform to the Tax Act.

In order to complete the accounting requirements under ASC 740, the Company needs to (i) evaluate the impact of additional guidance, if any, from the FASB and external providers on its application of ASC 740 to the calculation; (ii) evaluate the impact of further guidance from Treasury and/or the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) on the technical application of the law with regard to our facts; (iii) evaluate the impact of further guidance from the state tax authorities regarding their conformity to the provisions of the Tax Act; and (iv) complete the analysis of the revaluation of deferred tax assets and liabilities as the Company is still analyzing certain aspects of the Tax Act. The accounting for the tax effects of the Tax Act will be completed in 2018.

The Tax Act also includes provisions for Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income (“GILTI”), which imposes taxes on foreign income in excess of a deemed return on tangible assets of foreign corporations. Because of the complexities of the new provisions, the Company is continuing to evaluate how the provisions will be accounted for under GAAP. Companies are allowed to make an accounting policy election of either (i) account for GILTI as a component of income tax expense in the period in which the Company is subject to the rules (the “period cost method”), or (ii) account for GILTI in the Company’s measurement of deferred taxes (the “deferred method”). The Company has not elected a method and will do so after completing its analysis of the GILTI provisions of the Tax Act depending on the analysis of the Company’s global income. Therefore, we have not recorded any potential deferred tax effects related to the GILTI in our financial statements and have no policy election regarding whether to record deferred taxes on GILTI or use the period cost method. We have however, included an estimate of the current GILTI impact in our AETR for 2018. We expect to complete the accounting during the measurement period.

Income Tax Allocation

	Three Months Ended June 30,						Six Months Ended June 30,
(Dollars in millions)	2018			2017			2018			2017
Loss before income taxes	$	(7	)	$	(1,400	)	$	(28	)	$	(1,861	)
Income tax benefit/(provision)	$	36		$	(32	)	$	23		$	(79	)
Effective tax rate	514.3		%	(2.3		)%	82.1		%	(4.2		)%

We classify reserves for tax uncertainties within Deferred credits and other liabilities on the Balance Sheets, separate from any related income tax payable, which is also reported within Accrued expenses and other current liabilities, or Deferred income taxes. Reserve amounts relate to any potential income tax liabilities resulting from uncertain tax positions, as well as potential interest or penalties associated with those liabilities.

Management assesses the available positive and negative evidence to estimate if sufficient future taxable income will be generated to use the existing deferred tax assets. We have provided a valuation allowance on certain federal and state deferred tax assets that were not deemed realizable based upon estimates of future taxable income.

The effective tax rate related to the loss before income taxes for the three months ended June 30, 2018 differed from the expected federal tax rate of 21% primarily due to the deferred tax benefit from revisions to the estimated deferred tax balances as of December 31, 2017 as a result of the Tax Act offset by losses not tax benefitted and nondeductible expenses. The effective tax rate related to the loss before income taxes for the three months ended June 30, 2017 differed from the expected federal tax rate of 35% primarily due to losses not tax benefitted, including accrued restructuring and support expenses, and state deferred tax expense.

The effective tax rate related to the loss before income taxes for the six months ended June 30, 2018 differed from the expected federal tax rate of 21% primarily due the deferred tax benefit from revisions to the estimated deferred tax balances as of December 31, 2017 as a result of the Tax Act offset by losses not tax benefitted and nondeductible expenses. The effective tax rate related to the loss before income taxes for the six months ended June 30, 2017 differed from the expected federal tax rate of 35% primarily due to losses not tax benefitted, including accrued restructuring and support expenses, and state deferred tax expense. Effective January 1, 2017, CEC elected to no longer treat Caesars Entertainment Resort Properties, LLC (“CERP”) as a corporation for income tax purposes, which resulted in additional state deferred tax expense due to additional state filing requirements for CEC.

We file income tax returns, including returns for our subsidiaries, with federal, state, and foreign jurisdictions. We are under regular and recurring audit by the IRS on open tax positions, and it is possible that the amount of the liability for unrecognized tax benefits could change during the next 12 months.