STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

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	1,589,370	$	51.12	—			—
Stock Option Shares granted	394,301		69.29	—			—
Stock Option Shares exercised	(90,103)		37.34	—			—
Stock Option Shares forfeited	(116,664)		63.58	—			—
Stock Option Shares expired	(3,334)		33.03	—			—
Stock Option Shares outstanding at end of period	1,773,570		55.07	6.8	yrs.	$	27,531,125
Stock Option Shares exercisable at end of period	850,575	$	40.11	4.7	yrs.	$	24,721,434

Summary of status of nonvested shares

		Weighted-Average
		Grant Date Fair
Nonvested Stock Option Shares	Shares	Value
Nonvested at January 1, 2023	907,993	$	25.75
Granted	394,301		31.60
Vested	(262,635)		20.44
Forfeited	(116,664)		24.17
Nonvested at December 31, 2023	922,995	$	29.96

Schedule of stock options granted, vested and exercised

	Year ended December 31,
	2023			2022			2021
Weighted average expected volatility for options granted		49.08	%		48.54	%		45.72	%
Expected dividends		1.72	%		—			—
Expected life (in years)
Directors’ plan		5.18			4.15			3.90
Executives plan		5.63			5.63			5.38
Employees plan		4.26			4.22			4.20
Weighted average risk-free rate		4.08	%		3.62	%		0.93	%
Weighted average grant date fair value per share of options granted	$	31.60		$	31.86		$	26.37
Total fair value of shares vested	$	5,367		$	3,452		$	5,389
Total intrinsic value of options exercised	$	3,113		$	28,156		$	16,028
Cash received for all stock option exercises	$	3,365		$	18,846		$	10,435
Tax benefit realized from stock awards exercised	$	654		$	5,913		$	3,366

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,
	2023		2022		2021
Casino	$	354	$	273	$	236
Food and beverage		163		142		125
Hotel		268		214		191
Selling, general and administrative		6,691		4,466		3,508
Total stock-based compensation, before taxes		7,476		5,095		4,060
Tax benefit		(1,570)		(1,070)		(853)
Total stock-based compensation, net of tax	$	5,906	$	4,025	$	3,207