Shareholders of the Nasdaq-listed casino operator Golden Entertainment have overwhelmingly approved a definitive master transaction agreement to take the company private.
The deal, spearheaded by CEO Blake Sartini, received 20.4 million votes in favor at a special meeting held yesterday, marking a new chapter for the Nevada gaming staple.
The Multi-Billion Dollar Sale-Leaseback Strategy
Under the terms of the agreement, which values Golden Entertainment at $30 per share (a 40% premium on its November 2025 closing price), Sartini will take the company’s operating assets private. Simultaneously, Golden will sell its real estate portfolio to VICI Properties, one of the nation’s leading experiential real estate investment trusts.
The sale includes iconic Nevada assets such as:
- The STRAT Hotel, Casino & Tower on the Las Vegas Strip.
- Two Arizona Charlie’s properties in Las Vegas.
- Four additional regional resorts in Laughlin and Pahrump, Nevada.
Maximizing Value for Shareholders
Current shareholders will receive a combination of approximately 0.9 shares of VICI Properties common stock and $2.75 in cash for every Golden share held. Sartini, who founded Golden in 2001, emphasized that the move unlocks significant value while maintaining the company’s core mission.
“This mission will remain unchanged and I am incredibly honoured to lead Golden’s 5,000 employees into the next stage of our evolution as a private company,” Sartini stated.
The transaction is expected to close in Q2 2026, following final regulatory approvals, at which point Golden Entertainment will be de-listed from the Nasdaq.
