SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include highly liquid investments, which include cash on hand and in banks, interest-bearing deposits and money market funds with maturities of three months or less at their date of purchase. The instruments are not restricted as to withdrawal or use and are on deposit with high credit quality financial institutions. Although these balances may at times exceed the federal insured deposit limit, we believe such risk is mitigated by the quality of the institution holding such deposit. The carrying values of these instruments approximate their fair values as such balances are generally available on demand.

Promotional Allowances

The retail value of accommodations, food and beverage, and other services furnished to guests without charge is included in gross revenues and then deducted as a promotional allowance. Promotional allowances also include incentives earned in our slot bonus program such as cash and the estimated retail value of goods and services (such as complimentary rooms and food and beverages). We reward customers, through the use of bonus programs, with points based on amounts wagered that can be redeemed for a specified period of time for complimentary slot play, food and beverage, and to a lesser extent for other goods or services, depending upon the property.

The amounts included in promotional allowances are as follows:



	Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended
	September 30,				September 30,
(In thousands)	2017		2016		2017		2016
Rooms	$	19,394	$	18,778	$	56,750	$	56,017
Food and beverage	41,768		36,528		125,922		109,640
Other	3,897		3,182		10,566		10,155
Total promotional allowances	$	65,059	$	58,488	$	193,238	$	175,812

The estimated costs of providing such promotional allowances are as follows:



	Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended
	September 30,				September 30,
(In thousands)	2017		2016		2017		2016
Rooms	$	8,508	$	8,307	$	24,995	$	24,797
Food and beverage	37,651		32,611		112,539		96,724
Other	3,371		3,041		9,827		9,021
Total estimated cost of promotional allowances	$	49,530	$	43,959	$	147,361	$	130,542

Gaming Taxes

We are subject to taxes based on gross gaming revenues in the jurisdictions in which we operate. These gaming taxes are recorded as a gaming expense in the condensed consolidated statements of operations. These taxes totaled approximately $81.5 million and $79.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively, and $248.5 million and $243.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

Income Taxes

Income taxes are recorded under the asset and liability method, whereby deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized based on the future tax consequences attributable to temporary differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. We reduce the carrying amounts of deferred tax assets by a valuation allowance, if based on all evidence, it is more likely than not that such assets will not be realized. Use of the term "more likely than not" indicates the likelihood of occurrence is greater than 50%. Accordingly, the need to establish valuation allowances for deferred tax assets is continually assessed based on a more-likely-than-not realization threshold. This assessment considers, among other matters, the nature, frequency and severity of current and cumulative losses, forecasts of profitability, the duration of statutory carryforward periods, our experience with the utilization of operating loss and tax credit carryforwards before expiration and tax planning strategies. In making such judgments, significant weight is given to evidence that can be objectively verified.

The effective tax rates on income from continuing operations during the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016 were 35.7% and (849.9%), respectively. Our provision for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 was favorably impacted by the inclusion of excess tax benefits, related to equity compensation, as a component of the provision for income taxes, the recognition of unrecognized tax benefits due to statute expirations and the reversal of related accrued interest. These benefits were offset by state taxes resulting in an effective tax rate greater than the federal statutory rate.

In performing our third quarter 2016 valuation allowance analysis, we determined that the positive evidence in favor of releasing the valuation allowance, particularly evidence that was objectively verifiable, outweighed the negative evidence. We utilized a rolling twelve quarters of pretax income adjusted for permanent book to tax differences as a measure of cumulative results in recent years. We transitioned from a cumulative loss position to a cumulative income position over the rolling twelve quarters ended September 30, 2016. Other evidence considered in the analysis included, but was not limited to, a trend reflective of improvement in recent earnings, forecasts of profitability and taxable income and the reversal of existing temporary differences. The change in these conditions during the three months ended September 30, 2016 provided positive evidence that supported the release of the valuation allowance against a significant portion of our deferred tax assets. As such, we concluded that it was more likely than not that the benefit from our deferred tax assets would be realized, and we released $190.4 million of valuation allowance on our federal and unitary state income tax net operating loss carryforwards and other deferred tax assets during the third quarter of 2016.

Other Long-Term Tax Liabilities

The Company's income tax returns are subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") and other tax authorities in the locations where it operates. The Company assesses potentially unfavorable outcomes of such examinations based on accounting standards for uncertain income taxes, which prescribe a minimum recognition threshold a tax position is required to meet before being recognized in the financial statements.

Uncertain tax position accounting standards apply to all tax positions related to income taxes. These accounting standards utilize a two-step approach for evaluating tax positions. Recognition occurs when the Company concludes that a tax position, based on its technical merits, is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination. Measurement is only addressed if the position is deemed to be more likely than not to be sustained. The tax benefit is measured as the largest amount of benefit that is more likely than not to be realized upon settlement.

Tax positions failing to qualify for initial recognition are recognized in the first subsequent interim period that they meet the "more likely than not" standard. If it is subsequently determined that a previously recognized tax position no longer meets the "more likely than not" standard, it is required that the tax position is derecognized. Accounting standards for uncertain tax positions specifically prohibit the use of a valuation allowance as a substitute for derecognition of tax positions. As applicable, the Company will recognize accrued penalties and interest related to unrecognized tax benefits in the provision for income taxes. Accrued interest and penalties are included in other long-term tax liabilities on the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

Change in Accounting Principle

In first quarter 2017, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Update 2016-09, Compensation - Stock Compensation ("Update 2016-09") which simplified several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and classification on the statement of cash flows. Update 2016-09 requires excess tax benefits and deficiencies to be recorded in income tax expense instead of equity. The cumulative effect of this change in accounting principle is to record the benefit of previously unrecognized excess tax deductions as an increase in retained earnings of $15.8 million on the condensed consolidated statement of changes in stockholders' equity for the nine months ended September 30, 2017.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

Accounting Standards Update 2017-9, Compensation-Stock Compensation ("Update 2017-09")

In May 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Update 2017-09, which amends the scope of modification accounting for share-based payment arrangements. An entity should account for the effects of a modification unless the fair value, vesting conditions, and classification of the awards are the same immediately before and after the modification. The standard is effective for the financial statements issued for annual periods and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2017, and early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted Update 2017-09 during second quarter 2017. The early adoption did not have a material impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements.

Accounting Standards Update 2017-04, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other ("Update 2017-04")

In January 2017, the FASB issued Update 2017-04, which addresses goodwill impairment testing. Instead of determining goodwill impairment by calculating the implied fair value of goodwill, an entity should perform goodwill impairment test by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount. The standard is effective for financial statements issued for annual periods and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2019, and early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted Update 2017-04 effective January 1, 2017. The early adoption did not have an impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements.

Accounting Standards Update 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers ("Update 2014-09"); Accounting Standards Update 2015-14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers - Deferral of the Effective Date ("Update 2015-14" ); Accounting Standards Update 2016-08, Revenue from Contracts with Customers - Principal versus Agent Considerations (Reporting Revenue Gross versus Net) ("Update 2016-08"); Accounting Standards Update 2016-10, Revenue from Contracts with Customers - Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing ("Update 2016-10"); Accounting Standards Update 2016-11, Revenue Recognition (Topic 605) and Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815) - Rescission of SEC Guidance Because of Accounting Standards Updates 2014-09 and 2014-16 Pursuant to Staff Announcements at the March 3, 2016 EITF Meeting ("Update 2016-11"); and Accounting Standards Update 2016-12, Revenue from Contracts with Customers - Narrow-Scope Improvements and Practical Expedients ("Update 2016-12"); (collectively, the “Revenue Standard”)

The Revenue Standard prescribes a new, single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance. Interpretations of the Revenue Standard are on-going and could have a significant impact on our implementation. Currently, we expect that the historical presentation which reflects revenues gross for goods and services provided to our customers as an inducement to play with us, with an offsetting reduction for promotional allowances to derive net revenues, will no longer be allowed. Instead, revenues will be allocated among our departmental classifications based on the relative standalone selling prices of the goods and services provided to the customer. We currently anticipate that this methodology will result in a reduction of our reported gaming revenues by an amount equivalent to our reported promotional allowance revenues. We also expect the accounting for our frequent player programs to be impacted, with possible changes to the timing and/or classification of certain transactions within revenues and between revenues and operating expenses.

The Revenue Standard is effective for our Company on January 1, 2018, and must be adopted by applying either a full retrospective approach for all periods presented in the period of adoption or a modified retrospective approach with the cumulative effect of initially applying the guidance recognized at the date of initial application. We currently anticipate adopting the Revenue Standard by applying the full retrospective approach.

We are continuing to update our assessment of the effects of the Revenue Standard on our condensed consolidated financial statements, including the planned method of adoption and the quantification of the effects of the new guidance, and we will disclose those effects when known.

A variety of proposed or otherwise potential accounting standards are currently being studied by standard-setting organizations and certain regulatory agencies. Because of the tentative and preliminary nature of such proposed standards, we have not yet determined the effect, if any, that the implementation of such proposed standards would have on our condensed consolidated financial statements.