UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 30, 2016

PINNACLE ENTERTAINMENT, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Registrant’s Telephone Number, including area code: (702) 541-7777

N/A

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

On March 30, 2016, Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company” or “Pinnacle”), announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, PNK Entertainment, Inc. (“OpCo”), intends to commence syndication of a $350 million term loan B facility (the “Term Loan B Facility”). The Term Loan B Facility would be entered into in connection with the previously announced proposed merger of the Company with a subsidiary of Gaming & Leisure Properties, Inc. (“GLPI”) and the related spin-off of OpCo to stockholders of the Company. In connection with such efforts, the Company will be making a slide presentation to prospective lenders on March 30, 2016. The lender presentation slides are furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K. Completion of the merger and related spin-off remain subject to approvals by regulatory authorities and other customary closing conditions. There can be no assurance that the contemplated financing or the merger and related spin-off will be completed.

The information contained in the presentation is summary information that is intended to be considered in the context of the Company’s Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filings and other public announcements. The Company undertakes no duty or obligation to publicly update or revise this information.

The Company’s presentation, in addition to containing results that are determined in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”), contains certain “non-GAAP financial measures” as that term is defined by the rules and regulations of the SEC. The non-GAAP financial measures used in the presentation should not be considered in isolation of, as a substitute for, or superior to, financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP. The non-GAAP financial measures as defined in the presentation may differ from similarly titled measures presented by other companies. The non-GAAP financial measures, as well as other information in the presentation, should be read in conjunction with the Company’s financial statements filed with the SEC.

Additionally, the presentation contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon management’s current expectations, assumptions and estimates and are not guarantees of future results or performance. Actual results may differ materially from those contemplated in these statements due to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors, as discussed further in the presentation.

The information in this Item 7.01, including Exhibit 99.1 is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that Section. The information in this Item 7.01 and Exhibit 99.1 shall not be incorporated by reference into any registration statement or other document pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). By filing this Current Report on Form 8-K and furnishing the information contained herein, including Exhibit 99.1, the Company makes no admission as to the materiality of any such information.

On March 30, 2016, the Company issued a press release in connection with the Term Loan B Facility. The press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report and is incorporated by reference herein.

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Forward Looking Statements

All statements included in this press release, other than historical information or statements of historical fact, are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Words such as, but not limited to, “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “intends,” “plans,” “could,” “may,” “will,” “should,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements, may include, without limitation, statements regarding (a) the transaction between Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc. (including any operating business of Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc. that would be spun-off to stockholders in such transaction, the “Company”) and GLPI whereby the Company would sell its real estate assets to GLPI and spin-off the Company’s operations into a new public company; receipt of regulatory approvals and the consummation of the transaction and the timing thereof and (b) the transaction between the Company and a subsidiary of GLPI whereby the Company would acquire the operations of the Meadows Racetrack and Casino (the “Meadows Transaction”), the consummation of the Meadows Transaction and the timing thereof, the satisfaction of various closing conditions, including the expiration or termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, and obtaining approval of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board and the Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission. All forward-looking statements rely on a number of assumptions, estimates and data concerning future results and events and are subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside the Company’s control that could cause actual results to differ materially from actual those reflected in such statements. There is no assurance that a transaction with GLPI or the Meadows Transaction will be completed on any particular timeframe or at all. Accordingly, the Company cautions that the forward-looking statements contained herein are qualified by these and other important factors and uncertainties that could cause results to differ materially from those reflected by such statements. For more information on the potential factors, please review the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, its Annual Report on Form 10-K, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and its Current Reports on Form 8-K.

Additional Information

This communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended. In connection with the proposed transaction between GLPI and the Company, GLPI has filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-206649) that includes a definitive joint proxy statement of GLPI and Pinnacle that also constitutes a prospectus of GLPI. This communication is not a substitute for the joint proxy statement/prospectus or any other document that GLPI or the Company may file with the SEC or send to their shareholders in connection with the proposed transaction. The registration statement on Form S-4 was declared effective by the SEC on February 16, 2016. The Company mailed the definitive proxy statement/prospectus to its stockholders on or about February 16, 2016, and its stockholders approved the transaction on March 15, 2016. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE FORM S-4, INCLUDING THE DEFINITIVE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS FILED AND OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THAT WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC IF AND WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE, BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. You may obtain free copies of the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant documents filed by GLPI and the Company with the SEC at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Copies of the documents filed with the SEC by GLPI are available free of charge on GLPI’s investor relations website at investors.glpropinc.com or by contacting GLPI’s investor relations representative at (203) 682-8211. Copies of the documents filed with the SEC by the Company are available free of charge on the Company’s investor relations website at investors.pnkinc.com or by contacting the Company’s investor relations department at (702) 541-7777.

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned duly authorized.

Date: March 30, 2016

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