Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2011

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

NOTE 3 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of consolidation—The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Dover Downs Gaming & Entertainment, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries. Intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated.

Investments—Investments, which consist of mutual funds, are classified as available-for-sale and reported at fair-value in other assets in our consolidated balance sheets.  Changes in fair value are reported in other comprehensive income (loss).  See NOTE 6 — Stockholders’ Equity and NOTE 7 — Financial Instruments for further discussion.

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities—We are subject to interest rate risk on the variable component of the interest rate under our revolving credit agreement.  Effective January 15, 2009, we entered into a $35,000,000 interest rate swap agreement.  We have designated the interest rate swap as a cash flow hedge.  Changes in the fair value of the effective portion of the interest rate swap are recognized in other comprehensive income (loss) until the hedged item is recognized in earnings.  See NOTE 4 — Credit Facility and NOTE 7 — Financial Instruments for further discussion.

Property and equipment—Property and equipment is stated at cost.  Depreciation is provided for financial reporting purposes using the straight-line method.  Accumulated depreciation was $92,824,000 and $87,228,000 as of June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively.

We perform reviews for impairment of long-lived assets whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable.  An impairment loss would be measured as the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset exceeds its fair value.  Generally, fair value will be determined using valuation techniques such as the present value of future cash flows.

Income taxes—Deferred income taxes are provided on all differences between the tax basis of assets and liabilities and their reported amounts in the consolidated financial statements based upon enacted statutory tax rates in effect at the balance sheet date.  Tax years after 2006 remain open to examination for federal and state income tax purposes.

Point loyalty program—We currently have a point loyalty program for our customers which allows them to earn points based on the volume of their gaming activity.  All reward points earned by customers are expensed in the period they are earned.  The estimated amount of points redeemable for cash is recorded as a reduction of gaming revenue and the estimated amount of points redeemable for services and merchandise is recorded as gaming expense. In determining the amount of the liability, which was $2,139,000 and $2,038,000, respectively, at June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, we estimate a redemption rate, a cost of rewards to be offered and the mix of cash, goods and services for which reward points will be redeemed.  We use historical data to estimate those amounts.

Revenue and expense recognition—Gaming revenues represent (i) the net win from slot machine, table games and sports wagering and (ii) commissions from pari-mutuel wagering.  Other operating revenues consist of hotel rooms revenue, food and beverage sales and other miscellaneous income.  Revenues do not include the retail amount of hotel rooms, food and beverage and other miscellaneous goods and services provided without charge to customers as promotional items of $5,128,000 and $10,116,000, and $4,269,000 and $8,278,000 for the three and six-month periods ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively.  The estimated direct cost of providing these items has been charged to the casino through interdepartmental allocations and is included in gaming expenses in the consolidated statements of earnings.

For the casino operations, which account for approximately 90% of revenues for all periods presented, the difference between the amount wagered by bettors and the amount paid out to bettors is referred to as the win. The win is included in the amount recorded in our consolidated financial statements as gaming revenue. The Delaware State Lottery Office sweeps the win from the casino operations, collects the State’s share of the win and the amount due to the vendors under contract with the State who provide the slot machines and associated computer systems, collects the amount allocable to purses for harness horse racing and remits the remainder to us as our commission for acting as a Licensed Agent.  Gaming expenses include the amounts collected by the State (i) for the State’s share of the win, (ii) for remittance to the providers of the slot machines and associated computer systems, and (iii) for harness horse racing purses.  We recognize revenues from sports wagering commissions when the event occurs.  We recognize revenues from pari-mutuel commissions earned from live harness horse racing and importing of simulcast signals from other race tracks when the race occurs. Revenues from hotel rooms, food and beverage sales and other miscellaneous income are recognized at the time the service is provided.

Net earnings per common share—Basic and diluted net earnings per common share (“EPS”) are calculated in accordance with the provisions of Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 260, “Earnings Per Share.”  Nonvested share-based payment awards that include rights to dividends or dividend equivalents, whether paid or unpaid, are considered participating securities, and the two-class method of computing EPS is applied for all periods presented.  The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted EPS (in thousands, except per share amounts):

	Three Months Ended June 30,				Six Months Ended June 30,
	2011		2010		2011		2010
Net earnings per common share — basic:
Net earnings	$	1,238	$	2,277	$	1,200	$	3,950
Net earnings allocated to nonvested restricted stock awards	29		49		28		85
Net earnings available to common stockholders	$	1,209	$	2,228	$	1,172	$	3,865
Weighted-average shares outstanding	31,646		31,555		31,645		31,551
Net earnings per common share — basic	$	0.04	$	0.07	$	0.04	$	0.12
Net earnings per common share — diluted:
Net earnings	$	1,238	$	2,277	$	1,200	$	3,950
Net earnings allocated to nonvested restricted stock awards	29		49		28		85
Net earnings available to common stockholders	$	1,209	$	2,228	$	1,172	$	3,865
Weighted-average shares outstanding	31,646		31,555		31,645		31,551
Dilutive stock options	—		—		—		—
Weighted-average shares and dilutive shares outstanding	31,646		31,555		31,645		31,551
Net earnings per common share — diluted	$	0.04	$	0.07	$	0.04	$	0.12

For the three and six-month periods ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, options to purchase 13,000 and 17,000, and 440,000 and 537,000 shares of common stock, respectively, were outstanding but not included in the computation of diluted EPS because they would have been anti-dilutive.

Accounting for stock-based compensation—We recorded total stock-based compensation expense for our restricted stock awards and stock options of $227,000 and $518,000, and $298,000 and $609,000 as general and administrative expenses for the three and six-month periods ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively.  We recorded income tax benefit (expense) of $92,000 and ($21,000), and $102,000 and $11,000 for the three and six-month periods ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively, related to our restricted stock awards.

Use of estimates—The preparation of the accompanying consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions about future events.  These estimates and the underlying assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosures about contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. These estimates and assumptions are based on our best estimates and judgment.  We evaluate our estimates and assumptions on an ongoing basis using historical experience and other factors, including the current economic environment, which we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances.  We adjust such estimates and assumptions when facts and circumstances dictate.  Illiquid credit markets, volatile equity markets and declines in consumer spending have combined to increase the uncertainty inherent in such estimates and assumptions.  As future events and their effects cannot be determined with precision, actual results could differ from these estimates.  Changes in those estimates resulting from continuing changes in the economic environment will be reflected in the consolidated financial statements in future periods.

Recent accounting pronouncements—In April 2010, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2010-16 codified in FASB ASC Topic 924, “Accruals for Casino Jackpot Liabilities a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force,” which addresses diversity in practice in the accounting for casino base jackpot liabilities.  ASU 2010-16 clarifies that an entity should not accrue jackpot liabilities before a jackpot is won if the entity can avoid paying that jackpot.  Jackpots should be accrued and charged to revenue when an entity has the obligation to pay the jackpot.  The provisions of ASU 2010-16 were effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning on or after December 15, 2010.  We adopted the provisions of ASU 2010-16 effective January 1, 2011. Prior to adopting ASU 2010-16, we accrued jackpot liabilities before they were won.  Upon adopting ASU 2010-16, we changed our approach to only accrue jackpot liabilities when we have an obligation to pay the jackpot.  As a result of adopting ASU 2010-16, we recorded an adjustment of $187,000, net of income tax effect of $124,000, to the beginning balance of retained earnings at January 1, 2011.

In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-5 codified in FASB ASC Topic 220, “Comprehensive Income,” which amended guidance relating to the presentation requirements of comprehensive income within an entity’s financial statements. Under ASU 2011-5, an entity has the option to present the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income, and the components of other comprehensive income in a single continuous statement or in two separate but consecutive statements. ASU 2011-5 eliminates the previously available option of presenting the components of other comprehensive income as part of the statement of changes in equity. In addition, an entity is required to present on the face of the financial statements reclassification adjustments for items that are reclassified from other comprehensive income to net income in the statement where the components of net income and the components of other comprehensive income are presented. The provisions of ASU 2011-5 are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011 and will be applied retrospectively.