Stockholders' Equity	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019
Equity [Abstract]
Stockholders' Equity	Stockholders’ Equity Common Stock Restriction on Ownership Our common stock is transferable only subject to the provisions of Section 303 of the Racing, Pari-Mutuel Wagering and Breeding Law, so long as we hold, directly or indirectly, a license issued by the NYSGC, and may be subject to compliance with the requirements of other laws pertaining to licenses held directly or indirectly by us. The owners of common stock issued by us may be required by regulatory authorities to possess certain qualifications and may be required to dispose of their common stock if the owner does not possess such qualifications. Restriction on Ability to Pay Dividends Pursuant to the terms of the Bangkok Bank Loan Agreement, neither Empire nor any of its subsidiaries is permitted to declare or pay any dividends or make other payments to purchase, redeem, retire or otherwise acquire any capital stock of the Company. Such restriction will lapse upon the payment in full of any amounts outstanding under the Bangkok Bank Loan Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, so long as no event of default has occurred, subsidiaries of Empire are permitted to pay dividends to Empire and Empire may pay dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock and for withholding taxes payable in connection with equity compensation programs. Bet365 Common Stock Purchase Agreement On November 14, 2018, the Company entered into a sportsbook and digital gaming collaboration agreement (the “Collaboration Agreement”) with Hillside (New York) LLC, an affiliate of bet365 Group Limited (“bet365”). In connection with entering into the Collaboration Agreement, Hillside (New Media Holdings) Limited, an affiliate of bet365 ("bet365 Investor"), and the Company entered into a common stock purchase agreement (the “bet365 Common Stock Purchase Agreement”) pursuant to which bet365 Investor agreed to purchase up to 2.5 million shares of common stock of the Company at a purchase price of $20.00 per share, for an aggregate investment of $50 million. Upon execution of the bet365 Common Stock Purchase Agreement, the bet365 Investor purchased 1,685,759 shares of common stock. The Company received net proceeds of $29.6 million from the offering. Pursuant to the bet365 Common Stock Purchase Agreement, the bet365 Investor will be obligated to purchase the remaining 814,241 shares of common stock at $20.00 per share so long as the following closing conditions are met: (i) 30 days have passed following the receipt of approval from the NYSGC of bet365 Investor’s ownership of the Shares and the enactment of laws by New York State allowing the offering of the online sportsbook services by bet365, as outlined in the Collaboration Agreement (the "bet365 Online Sportsbook Services"); (ii) the representations and warranties of the Company are true and correct in all material respects and the Company has complied with its obligations under the bet365 Common Stock Purchase Agreement; (iii) the Collaboration Agreement is in full force and effect and there is no material breach of the Collaboration Agreement by the Company outstanding; (iv) the common stock of the Company continues to be listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market; (v) the Company continues to own 100% of the equity interests in the Casino; and (vi) the Company's Gaming Facility License for the Casino is still valid. After all gaming taxes have been paid and the parties have recouped their costs and expenses, bet365 may receive a distribution (the “Preferred Distribution”) equal to 50% of the positive difference, if any (the “delta”), between $20 and the value of the Company’s common stock measured on a given date (such date, the “Trigger Date”), multiplied by the number of shares of common stock then held by bet365 Investor. The Trigger Date is 30 days after the Company’s first filing of an annual or quarterly report with the Securities and Exchange Commission after bet365 recoups its costs incurred pursuant to the Collaboration Agreement. The delta will be the positive difference between $20 and the 30-day volume-weighted average price of the Company’s common stock on the Trigger Date. If the Company is no longer a reporting company, or if the Company’s common stock is not listed on a national securities exchange, the delta will be the positive difference between $20 and the fair market value of the Company’s common stock as determined by an investment bank retained by the parties. If a change of control (as such term is defined in the Collaboration Agreement) of the Company occurs before the Trigger Date, the delta will be the positive difference between $20 and the per share value paid by a third party in a change of control transaction. The Preferred Distribution, if any, will be payable on a monthly basis over a period of three years. If bet365 Investor sells any shares of common stock prior to the Trigger Date, the Preferred Distribution will be deemed to be $0. The Company concluded that the Preferred Distribution (an initial put option) is an embedded derivative liability because the right to receive the Preferred Distribution will not transfer with any shares of common stock sold by bet365 Investor. The fair value of the derivative liability associated with shares already sold to bet365 Investor was $1.0 million and $0.9 million at March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively. The Company also concluded the ability to purchase the remaining shares under the bet365 Common Stock Purchase Agreement is a freestanding contingent forward instrument. The fair value of this instrument was approximately $0.1 million and $1.9 million at March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively, net of the derivative liability (contingent put option) of approximately $0.5 million and $0.4 million, respectively, for the right associated with the remaining shares to also receive the Preferred Distribution. The derivative liability and the contingent forward asset were recorded at fair value upon the effective date of the Collaboration Agreement and are remeasured to fair value at each subsequent reporting date. Changes in the fair value of the derivative liabilities and long-term asset are recognized as a component of "Other income (expense)" in the condensed consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss. Preferred Stock and Dividends Series F Preferred Stock, redeemable On February 20, 2019, under the terms of the KH Series F Preferred Stock Commitment, the Company and KH entered into a subscription agreement, pursuant to which KH purchased 200 shares of the Company's Series F Preferred Stock for an aggregate purchase price of $20 million and net proceeds to the Company (after deducting an approximately $200,000 funding fee due to KH) of $19.8 million. Series B Preferred Stock A quarterly payment in the amount of $32,087 was made on April 2, 2019 for the quarter ended March 31, 2019 and a quarterly payment in the amount of $32,087 was made on April 2, 2018 for the quarter ended March 31, 2018. Warrants As of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively, there were outstanding warrants to purchase an aggregate of approximately 133,300 shares of Empire’s common stock at $30.00 per share with an expiration date of May 10, 2020 and warrants to purchase 60,000 shares of common stock at $81.50 per share with an expiration date of March 15, 2025.

Stockholders’ Equity

Common Stock

Restriction on Ownership

Our common stock is transferable only subject to the provisions of Section 303 of the Racing, Pari-Mutuel Wagering and Breeding Law, so long as we hold, directly or indirectly, a license issued by the NYSGC, and may be subject to compliance with the requirements of other laws pertaining to licenses held directly or indirectly by us. The owners of common stock issued by us may be required by regulatory authorities to possess certain qualifications and may be required to dispose of their common stock if the owner does not possess such qualifications.

Restriction on Ability to Pay Dividends

Pursuant to the terms of the Bangkok Bank Loan Agreement, neither Empire nor any of its subsidiaries is permitted to declare or pay any dividends or make other payments to purchase, redeem, retire or otherwise acquire any capital stock of the Company. Such restriction will lapse upon the payment in full of any amounts outstanding under the Bangkok Bank Loan Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, so long as no event of default has occurred, subsidiaries of Empire are permitted to pay dividends to Empire and Empire may pay dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock and for withholding taxes payable in connection with equity compensation programs.

Bet365 Common Stock Purchase Agreement

On November 14, 2018, the Company entered into a sportsbook and digital gaming collaboration agreement (the “Collaboration Agreement”) with Hillside (New York) LLC, an affiliate of bet365 Group Limited (“bet365”). In connection with entering into the Collaboration Agreement, Hillside (New Media Holdings) Limited, an affiliate of bet365 ("bet365 Investor"), and the Company entered into a common stock purchase agreement (the “bet365 Common Stock Purchase Agreement”) pursuant to which bet365 Investor agreed to purchase up to 2.5 million shares of common stock of the Company at a purchase price of $20.00 per share, for an aggregate investment of $50 million.

Upon execution of the bet365 Common Stock Purchase Agreement, the bet365 Investor purchased 1,685,759 shares of common stock. The Company received net proceeds of $29.6 million from the offering.

Pursuant to the bet365 Common Stock Purchase Agreement, the bet365 Investor will be obligated to purchase the remaining 814,241 shares of common stock at $20.00 per share so long as the following closing conditions are met: (i) 30 days have passed following the receipt of approval from the NYSGC of bet365 Investor’s ownership of the Shares and the enactment of laws by New York State allowing the offering of the online sportsbook services by bet365, as outlined in the Collaboration Agreement (the "bet365 Online Sportsbook Services"); (ii) the representations and warranties of the Company are true and correct in all material respects and the Company has complied with its obligations under the bet365 Common Stock Purchase Agreement; (iii) the Collaboration Agreement is in full force and effect and there is no material breach of the Collaboration Agreement by the Company outstanding; (iv) the common stock of the Company continues to be listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market; (v) the Company continues to own 100% of the equity interests in the Casino; and (vi) the Company's Gaming Facility License for the Casino is still valid.

After all gaming taxes have been paid and the parties have recouped their costs and expenses, bet365 may receive a distribution (the “Preferred Distribution”) equal to 50% of the positive difference, if any (the “delta”), between $20 and the value of the Company’s common stock measured on a given date (such date, the “Trigger Date”), multiplied by the number of shares of common stock then held by bet365 Investor. The Trigger Date is 30 days after the Company’s first filing of an annual or quarterly report with the Securities and Exchange Commission after bet365 recoups its costs incurred pursuant to the Collaboration Agreement. The delta will be the positive difference between $20 and the 30-day volume-weighted average price of the Company’s common stock on the Trigger Date. If the Company is no longer a reporting company, or if the Company’s common stock is not listed on a national securities exchange, the delta will be the positive difference between $20 and the fair market value of the Company’s common stock as determined by an investment bank retained by the parties. If a change of control (as such term is defined in the Collaboration Agreement) of the Company occurs before the Trigger Date, the delta will be the positive difference between $20 and the per share value paid by a third party in a change of control transaction. The Preferred Distribution, if any, will be payable on a monthly basis over a period of three years. If bet365 Investor sells any shares of common stock prior to the Trigger Date, the Preferred Distribution will be deemed to be $0.

The Company concluded that the Preferred Distribution (an initial put option) is an embedded derivative liability because the right to receive the Preferred Distribution will not transfer with any shares of common stock sold by bet365 Investor. The fair value of the derivative liability associated with shares already sold to bet365 Investor was $1.0 million and $0.9 million at March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively.

The Company also concluded the ability to purchase the remaining shares under the bet365 Common Stock Purchase Agreement is a freestanding contingent forward instrument. The fair value of this instrument was approximately $0.1 million and $1.9 million at March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively, net of the derivative liability (contingent put option) of approximately $0.5 million and $0.4 million, respectively, for the right associated with the remaining shares to also receive the Preferred Distribution.

The derivative liability and the contingent forward asset were recorded at fair value upon the effective date of the Collaboration Agreement and are remeasured to fair value at each subsequent reporting date. Changes in the fair value of the derivative liabilities and long-term asset are recognized as a component of "Other income (expense)" in the condensed consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss.

Preferred Stock and Dividends

Series F Preferred Stock, redeemable

On February 20, 2019, under the terms of the KH Series F Preferred Stock Commitment, the Company and KH entered into a subscription agreement, pursuant to which KH purchased 200 shares of the Company's Series F Preferred Stock for an aggregate purchase price of $20 million and net proceeds to the Company (after deducting an approximately $200,000 funding fee due to KH) of $19.8 million.

Series B Preferred Stock

A quarterly payment in the amount of $32,087 was made on April 2, 2019 for the quarter ended March 31, 2019 and a quarterly payment in the amount of $32,087 was made on April 2, 2018 for the quarter ended March 31, 2018.

Warrants

As of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively, there were outstanding warrants to purchase an aggregate of approximately 133,300 shares of Empire’s common stock at $30.00 per share with an expiration date of May 10, 2020 and warrants to purchase 60,000 shares of common stock at $81.50 per share with an expiration date of March 15, 2025.