STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2022

STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION.

Summary of stock option activity

		Weighted Average
				Remaining		Aggregate
		Exercise		Contractual		Intrinsic
Stock Options	Shares	Price		Term		Value
Stock Option Shares outstanding at beginning of period	1,999,699	$	42.05	—			—
Stock Option Shares granted	319,286		70.58	—			—
Stock Option Shares exercised	(612,952)		30.75	—			—
Stock Option Shares forfeited	(116,663)		55.68	—			—
Stock Option Shares expired	—		—	—			—
Stock Option Shares outstanding at end of period	1,589,370		51.12	7.0	yrs.	$	41,253,691
Stock Option Shares exercisable at end of period	681,377	$	33.74	4.7	yrs.	$	29,400,864

Summary of status of nonvested shares

		Weighted-Average
		Grant Date Fair
Nonvested Stock Option Shares	Shares	Value
Nonvested at January 1, 2022	971,324	$	19.62
Granted	319,286		31.86
Vested	(265,954)		12.98
Forfeited	(116,663)		19.89
Nonvested at December 31, 2022	907,993	$	25.75

Schedule of stock options granted, vested and exercised

	Year ended December 31,
	2022			2021			2020
Weighted average expected volatility for options granted		48.54	%		45.72	%		40.87	%
Expected life (in years)
Directors’ plan		4.15			3.90			3.26
Executives plan		5.63			5.38			5.22
Employees plan		4.22			4.20			4.13
Weighted average risk-free rate		3.62	%		0.93	%		0.48	%
Weighted average grant date fair value per share of options granted	$	31.86		$	26.37		$	17.33
Total fair value of shares vested	$	3,452		$	5,389		$	3,852
Total intrinsic value of options exercised	$	28,156		$	16,028		$	15,258
Cash received for all stock option exercises	$	18,846		$	10,435		$	7,813
Tax benefit realized from stock awards exercised	$	5,913		$	3,366		$	3,204

Schedule of stock-based compensation expense

Reported stock-based compensation expense was classified as follows (in thousands) and it is included in the Operating expenses in the Consolidated Statement of Income:

	For the Year ended December 31,
	2022		2021		2020
Casino	$	273	$	236	$	168
Food and beverage		142		125		(26)
Hotel		214		191		127
Selling, general and administrative		4,466		3,508		3,586
Total stock-based compensation, before taxes		5,095		4,060		3,855
Tax benefit		(1,070)		(853)		(810)
Total stock-based compensation, net of tax	$	4,025	$	3,207	$	3,045