Nature of Business	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Nature of Business	Note 1 – Nature of Business Golden Entertainment, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”) own and operate a diversified entertainment platform, consisting of a portfolio of gaming assets that focus on resort casino operations and distributed gaming (including gaming in the Company’s branded taverns). The Company conducts its business through two reportable operating segments: Casinos and Distributed Gaming. The Company’s Casinos segment involves the operation of ten resort casino properties in Nevada and Maryland, comprising: (1) The STRAT Hotel, Casino & SkyPod (“The Strat”), Arizona Charlie’s Decatur and Arizona Charlie’s Boulder in Las Vegas, Nevada, (2) the Aquarius Casino Resort (the “Aquarius”), the Edgewater Hotel & Casino Resort (the “Edgewater”) (as of January 14, 2019) and the Colorado Belle Hotel & Casino Resort (the “Colorado Belle”)(as of January 14, 2019) in Laughlin, Nevada, (3) the Pahrump Nugget Hotel Casino (“Pahrump Nugget”), Gold Town Casino and Lakeside Casino & RV Park in Pahrump, Nevada, and (4) the Rocky Gap Casino Resort (“Rocky Gap”) in Flintstone, Maryland. The Company’s Distributed Gaming segment involves the installation, maintenance and operation of slots and amusement devices in non-casino locations such as restaurants, bars, taverns, convenience stores, liquor stores and grocery stores in Nevada and Montana, and the operation of branded taverns targeting local patrons located primarily in the greater Las Vegas, Nevada metropolitan area. On January 14, 2019, the Company completed the acquisition of all of the outstanding equity interests of Edgewater Gaming, LLC and Colorado Belle Gaming, LLC (the “Laughlin Entities”) from Marnell Gaming, LLC (“Marnell”) for $155.0 million in cash (subject to the post-closing adjustment provisions in the purchase agreement) and the issuance of 911,002 shares of the Company’s common stock to certain assignees of Marnell (the “Laughlin Acquisition”). The results of operations of the Laughlin Entities will be included in the Company’s results subsequent to the acquisition date. See Note 4, Acquisitions, for information regarding the Laughlin Acquisition. In January 2018, the Company completed an underwritten public offering pursuant to its universal shelf registration statement, in which certain of the Company’s shareholders resold an aggregate of 6.5 million shares of the Company’s common stock, and the Company sold 975,000 newly issued shares of its common stock pursuant to the exercise in full of the underwriters’ over-allotment option to purchase additional shares. The Company’s net proceeds from the offering were approximately $25.6 million after deducting underwriting discounts and offering expenses. On October 20, 2017, the Company completed the acquisition of all of the outstanding equity interests of American Casino and Entertainment Properties LLC (“American”) from its former equity holders (the “American Acquisition”). The results of operations of American and its subsidiaries have been included in the Company’s results subsequent to that date. See Note 4, Acquisitions, for information regarding the American Acquisition. On January 29, 2016, the Company completed the acquisition of approximately 1,100 slots from a distributed gaming operator in Montana, as well as certain other non-gaming assets and the right to operate within certain locations (the “Initial Montana Acquisition”). Additionally, on April 22, 2016, the Company completed the acquisition of approximately 1,800 slots from a second distributed gaming operator in Montana, as well as amusement devices and other non-gaming assets and the right to operate within certain locations (the “Second Montana Acquisition” and, together with the Initial Montana Acquisition, the “Montana Acquisitions”). The results of operations of the distributed gaming businesses acquired in the Montana Acquisitions have been included in the Company’s results subsequent to their respective acquisition dates. See Note 4, Acquisitions, for information regarding the Montana Acquisitions.

Nature of Business

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

Note 1 – Nature of Business

Golden Entertainment, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”) own and operate a diversified entertainment platform, consisting of a portfolio of gaming assets that focus on resort casino operations and distributed gaming (including gaming in the Company’s branded taverns).

The Company conducts its business through two reportable operating segments: Casinos and Distributed Gaming. The Company’s Casinos segment involves the operation of ten resort casino properties in Nevada and Maryland, comprising: (1) The STRAT Hotel, Casino & SkyPod (“The Strat”), Arizona Charlie’s Decatur and Arizona Charlie’s Boulder in Las Vegas, Nevada, (2) the Aquarius Casino Resort (the “Aquarius”), the Edgewater Hotel & Casino Resort (the “Edgewater”) (as of January 14, 2019) and the Colorado Belle Hotel & Casino Resort (the “Colorado Belle”)(as of January 14, 2019) in Laughlin, Nevada, (3) the Pahrump Nugget Hotel Casino (“Pahrump Nugget”), Gold Town Casino and Lakeside Casino & RV Park in Pahrump, Nevada, and (4) the Rocky Gap Casino Resort (“Rocky Gap”) in Flintstone, Maryland.

The Company’s Distributed Gaming segment involves the installation, maintenance and operation of slots and amusement devices in non-casino locations such as restaurants, bars, taverns, convenience stores, liquor stores and grocery stores in Nevada and Montana, and the operation of branded taverns targeting local patrons located primarily in the greater Las Vegas, Nevada metropolitan area.

On January 14, 2019, the Company completed the acquisition of all of the outstanding equity interests of Edgewater Gaming, LLC and Colorado Belle Gaming, LLC (the “Laughlin Entities”) from Marnell Gaming, LLC (“Marnell”) for $155.0 million in cash (subject to the post-closing adjustment provisions in the purchase agreement) and the issuance of 911,002 shares of the Company’s common stock to certain assignees of Marnell (the “Laughlin Acquisition”). The results of operations of the Laughlin Entities will be included in the Company’s results subsequent to the acquisition date. See Note 4, Acquisitions, for information regarding the Laughlin Acquisition.

In January 2018, the Company completed an underwritten public offering pursuant to its universal shelf registration statement, in which certain of the Company’s shareholders resold an aggregate of 6.5 million shares of the Company’s common stock, and the Company sold 975,000 newly issued shares of its common stock pursuant to the exercise in full of the underwriters’ over-allotment option to purchase additional shares. The Company’s net proceeds from the offering were approximately $25.6 million after deducting underwriting discounts and offering expenses.

On October 20, 2017, the Company completed the acquisition of all of the outstanding equity interests of American Casino and Entertainment Properties LLC (“American”) from its former equity holders (the “American Acquisition”). The results of operations of American and its subsidiaries have been included in the Company’s results subsequent to that date. See Note 4, Acquisitions, for information regarding the American Acquisition.

On January 29, 2016, the Company completed the acquisition of approximately 1,100 slots from a distributed gaming operator in Montana, as well as certain other non-gaming assets and the right to operate within certain locations (the “Initial Montana Acquisition”). Additionally, on April 22, 2016, the Company completed the acquisition of approximately 1,800 slots from a second distributed gaming operator in Montana, as well as amusement devices and other non-gaming assets and the right to operate within certain locations (the “Second Montana Acquisition” and, together with the Initial Montana Acquisition, the “Montana Acquisitions”). The results of operations of the distributed gaming businesses acquired in the Montana Acquisitions have been included in the Company’s results subsequent to their respective acquisition dates. See Note 4, Acquisitions, for information regarding the Montana Acquisitions.