Caesars and Fertitta Gaming Holdco face FTC Second Request on merger
The request extends the antitrust waiting period until 30 days after both sides comply, pushing any deal close further into 2026 or beyond
Published
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Caesars Entertainment said it and Fertitta Gaming Holdco each received a Second Request from the Federal Trade Commission on September 14, 2026, as part of the agency's review of their pending merger.
The request extends the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act until 30 days after both companies substantially comply, unless the parties agree to extend it further or the FTC ends it sooner. Caesars said it and Fertitta Entertainment intend to keep working cooperatively with the FTC. Completion of the merger still depends on the waiting period expiring and on other closing conditions in the merger agreement.
A Second Request signals that the FTC has concerns serious enough to warrant a deeper look, and it comes as the agency has been applying tougher scrutiny across tech and consumer sectors. With the waiting period now expected to run through at least late 2026 or beyond, the odds of a near-term close have fallen and shareholders in Caesars face a longer stretch of uncertainty over whether and when the deal will complete.