Golden Entertainment’s move to go private advances, Pahrump casinos in spotlight

What does Golden Entertainment’s move to leave the public markets mean for the three Pahrump casinos locals actually use? For Nye County, the answer now hinges on a fast-moving regulatory process that could reshape how much financial and operational detail remains available about the Pahrump Nugget Hotel & Casino, Gold Town Casino and Lakeside Casino & RV Park.

The Nevada Gaming Control Board unanimously advanced Golden’s plan after a 70-minute hearing on April 15, recommending suitability, transfer and licensing approval as the company works toward private ownership. The next major test comes at the Nevada Gaming Commission’s April 23 meeting, where regulators are scheduled to consider final approval.

Golden shareholders already approved the master transaction agreement on March 31. The company says the deal is expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary conditions. When it closes, Golden said it will no longer be publicly held, and its shares will be delisted from Nasdaq and deregistered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

The local issue is not just corporate paperwork. Golden’s Pahrump properties sit at the center of the company’s Southern Nevada focus, and Blake L. Sartini has emphasized a preference for properties he can drive to and visit regularly. That matters in Pahrump, where the company’s footprint reaches beyond gaming floors. Golden’s filings say each of the three Pahrump casinos includes race and sportsbook facilities. The Pahrump Nugget alone offers hotel rooms, five restaurants, bingo, a bowling center and a 5,200-square-foot banquet and event center. Lakeside Casino & RV Park includes a restaurant and 159 full-service RV hook-up sites.

Golden’s broader Nevada business is sizable enough to make the stakes clearer. The company says it operates eight casinos and 73 gaming taverns in Nevada, with about 5,500 slots, 80 table games and 6,000 hotel rooms. In 2024, Golden reported $667 million in revenue and $155 million in Adjusted EBITDA, while returning cash to shareholders through a quarterly dividend of 25 cents a share and repurchasing 2.9 million shares.

The move is also tied to a larger real-estate deal. VICI Properties said it agreed to acquire the land, real property and improvements of seven Golden casino properties for $1.16 billion and enter a triple-net master lease with a newly formed entity owned and controlled by Sartini. VICI described the Las Vegas Locals market as the second-largest gaming market in the country by gross gaming revenue in 2024, underscoring why Pahrump’s casinos remain part of a much bigger financial calculation.