Recent Accounting Pronouncements

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Recent Accounting Pronouncements [Abstract]

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Note 2—Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Effective January 1, 2011, we adopted revised guidance regarding goodwill impairment testing for reporting units with zero or negative carrying amounts. The new guidance modifies Step 1 of the goodwill impairment test for reporting units with zero or negative carrying amounts. For those reporting units, an entity is required to perform Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test if it is more likely than not that a goodwill impairment exists. In determining whether it is more likely than not that a goodwill impairment exists, an entity should consider whether there are any adverse qualitative factors indicating that an impairment may exist. As of our 2011 preliminary annual assessment of goodwill and other non-amortizing intangible assets for impairment, we did not have any reporting units with zero or negative carrying amounts.

Effective January 1, 2011, we adopted new guidance for accounting for accruals for casino jackpot liabilities. The new guidance clarifies that an entity should not accrue jackpot liabilities (or portions thereof) before a jackpot is won if the entity can avoid paying that jackpot. Instead, jackpots should be accrued and charged to revenue when an entity has the obligation to pay the jackpot. This guidance applies to both base and progressive jackpots. Upon adoption, we recorded a decrease to our accrual in the amount of $16.7 million ($10.7 million net of tax) with a corresponding cumulative effect adjustment to Accumulated Deficit.

In April 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued guidance related to a creditor's determination of whether a restructuring is a troubled debt restructuring. The guidance clarifies how to identify restructurings of receivables that constitute troubled debt restructurings for a creditor. This new guidance became effective for us July 1, 2011. This new guidance did not have a material effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

In May 2011, the FASB issued updated guidance related to fair value measurement and disclosure requirements. The changes result in common fair value measurement and disclosure requirements between U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") and International Financial Reporting Standards and change the wording used to describe many of the requirements in GAAP for measuring fair value and for disclosing information about fair value measurements. The changes will be effective for us January 1, 2012. We are currently assessing what impact, if any, this new guidance will have on our consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

In June 2011, the FASB issued new guidance for the presentation of comprehensive income. The new guidance requires that all nonowner changes in stockholders' equity be presented either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. The new requirements will be effective for us January 1, 2012. As this is a presentation and disclosure requirement, there will be no impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows upon adoption.

In September 2011, the FASB issued updated guidance related to disclosures around employer's participation in multi-employer benefit plans. The updated guidance increases the quantitative and qualitative disclosures an employer will be required to provide about its participation in significant multi-employer plans that offer pension or other postretirement benefits. The new guidance will be effective for our 2011 Annual Report on Form 10-K. As this relates only to disclosure requirements, there will be no impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows upon adoption.

In September 2011, the FASB issued updated guidance related to goodwill impairment testing. The updated guidance allows an entity to perform a qualitative assessment on goodwill to determine whether it is more likely than not (defined as having a likelihood of more than 50 percent) that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform the two-step goodwill impairment test. The new guidance will be effective for us January 1, 2012.