RECENTLY ISSUED AND ADOPTED ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

RECENTLY ISSUED AND ADOPTED ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

RECENTLY ISSUED AND ADOPTED ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

Standards implemented

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“Topic 606”), amending revenue recognition guidance and requiring more detailed disclosures to enable users of financial statements to understand the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. The core principle of Topic 606 is that revenue should be recognized to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. Additional ASUs have been issued that are part of the overall new revenue guidance including: (i) ASU 2016-08, “ Principal versus Agent Considerations (Reporting Revenue Gross versus Net),” (ii) ASU 2016-10, “ Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing ,” (iii) ASU 2016-20, “ Technical Corrections and Improvements to Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers ” and (iv) ASU 2016-12, “ Narrow Scope Improvements and Practical Expedients,” which clarified guidance on certain items such as reporting revenue as a principal or agent, identifying performance obligations, accounting for fixed odds wagering contracts associated with the Company’s racing operations, accounting for intellectual property licenses and accessing collectability and presentation of sales tax. The Company adopted Topic 606 on January 1, 2018 using the full retrospective method.

Topic 606 changed the presentation of total revenue and operating expenses. Prior to the adoption of Topic 606, the retail value of complimentary hotel rooms, food, beverages and other services provided to the Company’s customers was included in gross revenue, with an offsetting reduction for promotional allowances to derive total revenues. The estimated direct cost of providing these items was charged to the casino through interdepartmental allocations and included in gaming expenses. Under the new guidance, revenues are allocated among our revenue classifications based on the relative standalone selling prices of the goods and services provided to the customer after factoring in the likelihood of redemption of incentives. The accounting for the Company’s loyalty programs was also impacted, with changes to the timing and/or classification of certain transactions between total revenue and operating expenses. See Note 4 “Revenue Recognition”.

In February 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) in order to increase transparency and comparability among organizations by, among other provisions, recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet for those leases classified as operating leases under previous United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“US GAAP”). For public companies, ASU 2016-02 was effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018 (including interim periods within those periods, which for the Company was the first quarter of 2019) using a modified retrospective approach and early adoption is permitted. In transition, entities may also elect a package of practical expedients that must be applied in its entirety to all leases commencing before the adoption date, unless the lease is modified, and permits entities to not reassess (a) the existence of a lease, (b) lease classification or (c) determination of initial direct costs, as of the adoption date, which effectively allows entities to carry-forward accounting conclusions under previous US GAAP. In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-11, Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements, which provides entities an optional transition method to apply the guidance under ASC 842 as of the adoption date, rather than as of the earliest period presented. The Company adopted ASC 842 on January 1, 2019, using the optional transition method to apply the new guidance as of January 1, 2019, rather than as of the earliest period presented, and elected the entire package of practical expedients described above. Based on the analysis, on January 1, 2019, the Company recorded right of use assets and a corresponding lease liability of approximately $18.8 million. There was no impact to opening retained earnings.

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows—Restricted Cash. The amendments in this update require that a statement of cash flows explain the change during the period in the total of cash, cash equivalents, and amounts generally described as restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents. Therefore, amounts generally described as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents should be included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts shown on the statement of cash flows. The Company adopted this standard effective January 1, 2018 by retrospective restatement of all prior period consolidated statements of cash flows.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (Topic 350)—Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. This standard simplifies the quantitative goodwill impairment test by eliminating the second step of the test. Under this standard, impairment will be measured by comparing the estimated fair value of the reporting unit with its carrying value. The Company early adopted this standard in conjunction with its 2017 goodwill impairment test. Adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the results of the Company’s goodwill impairment test.

In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities, which changes the recognition and presentation requirements of hedge accounting, including eliminating the requirement to separately measure and report hedge ineffectiveness and presenting all items that affect earnings in the same income statement line item as the hedged item. The ASU also provides new alternatives for applying hedge accounting to additional hedging strategies, measuring the hedged item in fair value hedges of interest rate risk, reducing the cost and complexity of applying hedge accounting by easing the requirements for effectiveness testing, hedge documentation and application of the critical terms match method and reducing the risk of a material error correction if a company applies the shortcut method inappropriately. This ASU is effective for public companies in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, which for the Company was the first quarter of 2019. The Company adopted this ASU in the first quarter of 2019, with no impact to its consolidated financial statements.

Standards to be implemented

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments–Credit Losses (Topic 326)–Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (“ASC 326”). This standard amends several aspects of the measurement of credit losses on financial instruments, including trade receivables. The standard replaces the existing incurred credit loss model with the Current Expected Credit Losses (“CECL”) model and amends certain aspects of accounting for purchased financial assets with deterioration in credit quality since origination. Under CECL, the allowance for losses for financial assets that are measured at amortized cost reflects management’s estimate of credit losses over the remaining expected life of the financial assets, based on historical experience, current conditions and forecasts that affect the collectability of the reported amount. In November 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-19, Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments–Credit Losses, to clarify that receivables arising from operating leases are not within the scope of ASC 326 and should instead, be accounted for in accordance with ASC 842, Leases. The standard is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2018. Adoption is through a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the first reporting period in which the guidance is effective (a modified-retrospective approach). The Company anticipates adopting this standard in the first quarter of 2020 and it is not expected to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-14, Compensation–Retirement Benefits–Defined Benefit Plans–General. This amendment improves disclosures over defined benefit plans and is effective for interim and annual periods ending after December 15, 2020, with early adoption allowed. The Company anticipates adopting this amendment during the first quarter of 2021 and does not expect it to have a significant impact on the consolidated financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820),–Disclosure Framework–Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement, which makes a number of changes meant to add, modify or remove certain disclosure requirements associated with the movement amongst or hierarchy associated with Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 fair value measurements. This guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted upon issuance of the update. The Company anticipates adopting this amendment in the first quarter of 2020, and does not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740) - Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes. This amendment serves to simplify the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to the general principles in ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes. The amendment also improves the consistent application of ASC Topic 740 by clarifying and amending existing guidance. This amendment is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2020, with early adoption permitted for periods for which financial statements have not yet been issued. The Company is currently in the process of evaluating the impact of the future adoption of this amendment on its consolidated financial statements.