Income Taxes	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2018
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes	Note 8 – Income Taxes The Company’s effective tax rate was 22.0% and (67.5)% for the six months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Income tax expense was $2.1 million for the six months ended June 30, 2018, which was attributed primarily to financial reporting expenditures that are not deductible for tax purposes. Income tax benefit was $2.8 million for the six months ended June 30, 2017, which was attributed primarily to a partial release of valuation allowance on deferred tax assets. Deferred tax assets are evaluated by considering historical levels of income, estimates of future taxable income and the impact of tax planning strategies. The Company continues to evaluate its deferred tax asset valuation allowance on a quarterly basis. The Company concluded that, as of December 31, 2017, it is more likely than not that the Company will generate sufficient taxable income within the applicable net operating loss carry-forward periods to realize a portion of its deferred tax assets. The Company’s income taxes payable was $1.8 million as of June 30, 2018, and its income taxes receivable was $0.2 million as of December 31, 2017. As of June 30, 2018, the Company had approximately $65.7 million of federal net operating loss carryforwards (“NOLs”) which will begin to expire in 2032. These NOLs have the potential to be used to offset future ordinary taxable income and reduce future cash tax liabilities. However, in connection with the American Acquisition, the Company issued approximately 4.0 million shares of its common stock to ACEP Holdings, which resulted in an “ownership change” under Section 382 that will generally limit the amount of NOLs the Company can utilize annually. Following an “ownership change” under Section 382, the amount of NOLs the Company can utilize in a given year is limited to an amount equal to the aggregate fair market value of the Company’s common stock immediately prior to the ownership change, multiplied by the long-term exempt interest rate in effect for the month of the ownership change. The Company estimates that it will be able to utilize approximately $10.8 million of NOLs annually. On December 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the “Tax Act”) was signed into law making significant changes to the Internal Revenue Code. Changes include, but are not limited to, a corporate income tax rate decrease from 35% to 21% effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017. As of June 30, 2018, the Company had not completed its accounting for the tax effects of enactment of the Tax Act; however, in certain cases, as described below, the Company has made a reasonable estimate of the effects on its existing deferred tax balances. For any amounts the Company has not been able to make a reasonable estimate, it will continue to account for those items based on its existing accounting under ASC 740, Income Taxes, and the provisions of the tax laws that were in effect immediately prior to enactment. In all cases, the Company will continue to make and refine its calculations as additional analysis is completed. In addition, the Company’s estimates may also be affected as it gains a more thorough understanding of the Tax Act. Given the significance of the legislation, the SEC staff issued Staff Accounting Bulletin (“SAB”) No. 118 (SAB 118), which allows registrants to record provisional amounts during a one year “measurement period” similar to that used when accounting for business combinations. However, the measurement period is deemed to have ended earlier when the registrant has obtained, prepared, and analyzed the information necessary to finalize its accounting. During the measurement period, impacts of the law are expected to be recorded at the time a reasonable estimate for all or a portion of the effects can be made, and provisional amounts can be recognized and adjusted as information becomes available, prepared, or analyzed. SAB 118 summarizes a three-step process to be applied at each reporting period to account for and qualitatively disclose: (1) the effects of the change in tax law for which accounting is complete; (2) provisional amounts (or adjustments to provisional amounts) for the effects of the tax law where accounting is not complete, but that a reasonable estimate has been determined; and (3) a reasonable estimate cannot yet be made and therefore taxes are reflected in accordance with law prior to the enactment of the Tax Act. Several provisions of the Tax Act have significant impact on the Company’s U.S. tax attributes, generally consisting of credits and loss carry-forwards. Although the Company has made a reasonable estimate of the gross amounts of the attributes disclosed, the Company is continuing to analyze certain aspects of the Tax Act and is refining its calculations which could potentially affect the measurements of these balances or potentially give rise to new deferred tax amounts.

Note 8 – Income Taxes

The Company’s effective tax rate was 22.0% and (67.5)% for the six months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Income tax expense was $2.1 million for the six months ended June 30, 2018, which was attributed primarily to financial reporting expenditures that are not deductible for tax purposes. Income tax benefit was $2.8 million for the six months ended June 30, 2017, which was attributed primarily to a partial release of valuation allowance on deferred tax assets.

Deferred tax assets are evaluated by considering historical levels of income, estimates of future taxable income and the impact of tax planning strategies. The Company continues to evaluate its deferred tax asset valuation allowance on a quarterly basis. The Company concluded that, as of December 31, 2017, it is more likely than not that the Company will generate sufficient taxable income within the applicable net operating loss carry-forward periods to realize a portion of its deferred tax assets.

The Company’s income taxes payable was $1.8 million as of June 30, 2018, and its income taxes receivable was $0.2 million as of December 31, 2017.

As of June 30, 2018, the Company had approximately $65.7 million of federal net operating loss carryforwards (“NOLs”) which will begin to expire in 2032. These NOLs have the potential to be used to offset future ordinary taxable income and reduce future cash tax liabilities. However, in connection with the American Acquisition, the Company issued approximately 4.0 million shares of its common stock to ACEP Holdings, which resulted in an “ownership change” under Section 382 that will generally limit the amount of NOLs the Company can utilize annually. Following an “ownership change” under Section 382, the amount of NOLs the Company can utilize in a given year is limited to an amount equal to the aggregate fair market value of the Company’s common stock immediately prior to the ownership change, multiplied by the long-term exempt interest rate in effect for the month of the ownership change. The Company estimates that it will be able to utilize approximately $10.8 million of NOLs annually.

On December 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the “Tax Act”) was signed into law making significant changes to the Internal Revenue Code. Changes include, but are not limited to, a corporate income tax rate decrease from 35% to 21% effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017. As of June 30, 2018, the Company had not completed its accounting for the tax effects of enactment of the Tax Act; however, in certain cases, as described below, the Company has made a reasonable estimate of the effects on its existing deferred tax balances. For any amounts the Company has not been able to make a reasonable estimate, it will continue to account for those items based on its existing accounting under ASC 740, Income Taxes, and the provisions of the tax laws that were in effect immediately prior to enactment. In all cases, the Company will continue to make and refine its calculations as additional analysis is completed. In addition, the Company’s estimates may also be affected as it gains a more thorough understanding of the Tax Act.

Given the significance of the legislation, the SEC staff issued Staff Accounting Bulletin (“SAB”) No. 118 (SAB 118), which allows registrants to record provisional amounts during a one year “measurement period” similar to that used when accounting for business combinations. However, the measurement period is deemed to have ended earlier when the registrant has obtained, prepared, and analyzed the information necessary to finalize its accounting. During the measurement period, impacts of the law are expected to be recorded at the time a reasonable estimate for all or a portion of the effects can be made, and provisional amounts can be recognized and adjusted as information becomes available, prepared, or analyzed. SAB 118 summarizes a three-step process to be applied at each reporting period to account for and qualitatively disclose: (1) the effects of the change in tax law for which accounting is complete; (2) provisional amounts (or adjustments to provisional amounts) for the effects of the tax law where accounting is not complete, but that a reasonable estimate has been determined; and (3) a reasonable estimate cannot yet be made and therefore taxes are reflected in accordance with law prior to the enactment of the Tax Act.

Several provisions of the Tax Act have significant impact on the Company’s U.S. tax attributes, generally consisting of credits and loss carry-forwards. Although the Company has made a reasonable estimate of the gross amounts of the attributes disclosed, the Company is continuing to analyze certain aspects of the Tax Act and is refining its calculations which could potentially affect the measurements of these balances or potentially give rise to new deferred tax amounts.