Accel Entertainment Acquires Assets of Rice Palace
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jun 03 2026
0mins
Accel Entertainment announced that its subsidiary, Toucan Gaming, acquired the assets of Rice Palace and South Louisiana Gaming, the owner and operator of Rice Palace Truck Stop Casino. The transaction is consistent with Accel's long-term focus on disciplined growth and continued strategic, accretive investments in the state. Financial details were not disclosed. Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, Toucan acquired the Rice Palace facility, adding 50 Video Gaming Devices, VGDs, to its expanding Louisiana route operations. Toucan and Accel plan to scale the location's capacity to 60 VGDs in the near term, representing an approximate 8% increase in its VGD count compared to the 728 Louisiana route VGDs Accel reported as of March 31, 2026.
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Analyst Views on ACEL
Wall Street analysts forecast ACEL stock price to rise
2 Analyst Rating
1 Buy
1 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 12.640
Low
13.00
Averages
13.00
High
13.00
Current: 12.640
Low
13.00
Averages
13.00
High
13.00
About ACEL
Accel Entertainment, Inc. is a distributed gaming operator in the United States and a partner for local business owners in the markets it serves. The Company offers turnkey full-service gaming solutions to authorized non-casino locations such as bars, restaurants, convenience stores, truck stops, and fraternal and veteran establishments across the country. It installs, maintains, operates and services gaming terminals and related equipment for its location partners as well as redemption devices, stand-alone automated teller machines (ATMs) and amusement devices, including jukeboxes, dartboards, pool tables, and other entertainment-related equipment. It also designs and manufactures gaming terminals and related equipment. Its segments include distributed gaming and casinos and racing. The Company offers amusement devices, including jukeboxes, dartboards, pool tables, and other entertainment-related equipment that enhance customer experience and engagement.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Accel Entertainment Acquires Rice Palace Assets to Expand Gaming Portfolio
- Acquisition Overview: Accel Entertainment's subsidiary Toucan Gaming has acquired the assets of Rice Palace and South Louisiana Gaming, which operates the renowned Rice Palace Truck Stop Casino in Crowley, Louisiana, thereby enriching Accel's business portfolio.
- Strategic Expansion: This acquisition adds a licensed truck stop gaming location to Accel's portfolio, aligning with its broader strategy to scale operations and enhance market competitiveness.
- Financial Details Missing: Although the financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed, this move is expected to positively impact Accel's future revenue growth, particularly with the upcoming expansion into the Chicago market.
- Market Outlook: Accel Entertainment anticipates that its first location in Chicago could go live in late 2026 or Q1 2027, showcasing strong market potential alongside a record $352 million revenue in Q1 2026.
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- Market Expansion Opportunities: CEO Rubenstein highlighted Chicago as one of the most exciting near-term growth opportunities, with the first locations expected to go live in late 2026 or Q1 2027, indicating the company's confidence in future market potential.
- Capital Expenditure Plans: Management anticipates full-year 2026 CapEx to be in the range of $60 million to $70 million, emphasizing ongoing investments in expansion and operational optimization to support future growth.
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- Acquisition Overview: Accel Entertainment's subsidiary Toucan Gaming has acquired the assets of Rice Palace and South Louisiana Gaming, which operates the renowned Rice Palace Truck Stop Casino in Crowley, Louisiana, thereby enriching Accel's business portfolio.
- Strategic Expansion: This acquisition adds a licensed truck stop gaming location to Accel's portfolio, aligning with its broader strategy to scale operations and enhance market competitiveness.
- Financial Details Missing: Although the financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed, this move is expected to positively impact Accel's future revenue growth, particularly with the upcoming expansion into the Chicago market.
- Market Outlook: Accel Entertainment anticipates that its first location in Chicago could go live in late 2026 or Q1 2027, showcasing strong market potential alongside a record $352 million revenue in Q1 2026.
See More
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- Strong Financial Performance: Accel Entertainment achieved $352 million in revenue for Q1 2026, marking a 9% year-over-year increase, with adjusted EBITDA reaching $54 million, reflecting the company's robust market performance and enhanced profitability.
- Market Expansion Opportunities: CEO Rubenstein highlighted Chicago as one of the most exciting near-term growth opportunities, with the first locations expected to go live in late 2026 or Q1 2027, indicating the company's confidence in future market potential.
- Capital Expenditure Plans: Management anticipates full-year 2026 CapEx to be in the range of $60 million to $70 million, emphasizing ongoing investments in expansion and operational optimization to support future growth.
- Stock Buyback Strategy: The company repurchased approximately 1.1 million shares of common stock for $12 million in Q1, demonstrating confidence in its stock value while maintaining $274 million in cash reserves to support future investments and operational needs.
See More
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- Revenue Growth: Accel Entertainment reported Q1 revenue of $352.5 million, reflecting an 8.8% year-over-year increase, which exceeded market expectations by $10.01 million, demonstrating strong performance in the video gaming terminal market and solidifying its industry position.
- Earnings Miss: Despite the revenue beat, the GAAP EPS came in at $0.17, missing expectations by $0.01, indicating ongoing challenges in cost control and profitability that may affect investor confidence moving forward.
- Market Confidence Boost: Accel Entertainment's stock surged on optimism regarding Chicago's video gaming terminals, suggesting a positive outlook for future growth potential, especially amid looming bans on sports betting in the market.
- Industry Outlook Positive: With the increasing adoption of video gaming terminals, Accel Entertainment's market position is expected to strengthen, likely attracting more investor interest and enabling the company to capture a larger share in the competitive gaming industry.
See More
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- Lucky Strike Challenges: With a free cash flow margin of 3.5%, Lucky Strike has faced disappointing same-store sales over the past two years, and eroding returns on capital suggest that management's investments are destroying value, while a high net-debt-to-EBITDA ratio of 7x could force unfavorable capital raises if market conditions worsen.
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- Uncertain Market Outlook: Despite strong cash flows, these companies face challenges due to poor management decisions and market responses, leading to underwhelming stock performance, necessitating cautious evaluation of their investment potential.
See More
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- Live Table Games Debut: Fairmount Park Casino launched live table games following the kickoff of the 2026 racing season, marking a significant transition from electronic table games to a traditional casino experience, which is expected to attract more players and enhance overall revenue.
- Purse Increase: For the 2026 season, Fairmount Park increased its total purse by $500,000, a move that not only attracts larger field sizes but also enhances the competitiveness of horse racing in Southern Illinois, ensuring the track's longevity for its second century of operation.
- Comprehensive Entertainment Experience: The newly introduced table games include classic options like Blackjack and Roulette, enhancing player social interaction and entertainment experience, further solidifying Fairmount's position as a regional entertainment destination.
- Facility Upgrades: The casino has also undergone several facility upgrades, including the reopening of the clubhouse, restroom renovations, and a new inner rail on the track, aimed at providing higher quality service and experiences to attract more local and regional customers.
See More
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- Legislative Proposal: A bipartisan group of U.S. senators is set to introduce legislation on Monday that would prohibit CFTC-regulated entities from offering contracts tied to sporting events, directly impacting U.S. operations of prediction market platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket, highlighting increasing regulatory scrutiny on betting products.
- Market Focus: Amid heightened scrutiny on betting products, casino and gaming equities are in the spotlight, with Accel Entertainment leading the sector with a Strong Buy rating of 4.58, indicating strong market confidence and potentially attracting more investor interest.
- Rating Distribution: According to Seeking Alpha's Quant Ratings, Rush Street Interactive and PENN Entertainment follow closely with ratings of 4.18 and 3.51 respectively, suggesting their competitive positioning and growth potential in the market, which may influence investor decisions.
- Industry Dynamics: The rating system evaluates stocks based on critical metrics such as valuation, growth, stock momentum, and profitability, with ratings ranging from 1 to 5, where ratings above 3.5 are considered bullish and below 2.5 bearish, reflecting varying market perceptions of the gaming industry.
See More
