Exhibit 1.1

EXECUTION COPY

AMERISTAR CASINOS, INC.

(a Nevada corporation)

4,560,055 Shares of Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

Dated: May 16, 2011

AMERISTAR CASINOS, INC.

(a Nevada corporation)

4,560,055 Shares of Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

May 16, 2011

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated

One Bryant Park
New York, New York 10036

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     The Estate of Craig H. Neilsen (the “Selling Stockholder”), a stockholder of Ameristar Casinos, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to sell to Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (the “Underwriter”) an aggregate of 4,560,055 shares (the “Securities”) of common stock, $0.01 par value per share of the Company (the “Common Stock”).

     The Company and the Selling Stockholder understand that the Underwriter proposes to make a public offering of the Securities as soon as it deems advisable after this Agreement has been executed and delivered.

     The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-174128) covering the public offering and sale of certain securities, including the Securities, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “1933 Act Regulations”), which shelf registration statement has been declared effective by the Commission. Such registration statement, as of any time, means such registration statement as amended by any post-effective amendments thereto to such time, including the exhibits and any schedules thereto at such time, the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to Rule 430B under the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 430B”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement”; provided, however, that the “Registration Statement” without reference to a time means such registration statement as amended by any post-effective amendments thereto as of the time of the first contract of sale for the Securities, which time shall be considered the “new effective date” of such registration statement with respect to the Securities within the meaning of paragraph (f)(2) of Rule 430B, including the exhibits and schedules thereto as of such time, the documents incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to the Rule 430B. Each preliminary prospectus used in connection with the offering of the Securities, including the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act, are collectively referred to herein as a “preliminary prospectus.” Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a final prospectus relating to the Securities in accordance with the provisions of Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 424(b)”). The

final prospectus, in the form first furnished or made available to the Underwriter for use in connection with the offering of the Securities, including the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act, are collectively referred to herein as the “Prospectus.” For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (or any successor system)(“EDGAR”).

     As used in this Agreement:

     “Applicable Time” means the time of the first contract of sale for the Securities or such other time as agreed by the Selling Stockholder and the Underwriter.

     “General Disclosure Package” means any Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectuses issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, the most recent preliminary prospectus (including any documents incorporated therein by reference) that is distributed to investors prior to the Applicable Time, the information included on Schedule B-1 hereto and the orally conveyed public offering price per share for the Securities, all considered together.

     “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), including without limitation any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 405”)) relating to the Securities that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Securities or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).

     “Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors (other than a “bona fide electronic road show,” as defined in Rule 433), as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule B-2 hereto.

     “Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.

     “Gaming Authorities” means, in any jurisdiction in which the Company or any of its subsidiaries manages or conducts any casino, gaming business or activities, the applicable gaming board, commission or other governmental gaming regulatory body or agency which (a) has, or may at any time after issuance of the Securities have, jurisdiction over the gaming activities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any successor to such authority or (b) is, or may at any time after the issuance of the Securities be, responsible for interpreting, administering and enforcing the Gaming Laws.

     “Gaming Laws” means all applicable constitutions, treaties, laws and statutes pursuant to which any Gaming Authority possesses regulatory, licensing or permit authority over gaming, gambling or casino activities and all rules, rulings, orders, ordinances and regulations of any Gaming Authority applicable to the gambling, casino, gaming businesses or activities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries in any jurisdiction, as in effect from time to time, including the policies, interpretations and administration thereof by the Gaming Authorities.

     All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included” or “stated” (or other references of like import) in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include all such financial statements and schedules and other information incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “1934 Act”), incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, at or after the execution and delivery of this Agreement.

     SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties.

     (a) Representations and Warranties by the Company. The Company represents and warrants to the Underwriter as of the date hereof, the Applicable Time, and the Closing Time (as defined below), and agrees with the Underwriter, as follows:

     (i) Registration Statement and Prospectuses. The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act. The Registration Statement has become effective under the 1933 Act. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.

     Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time of its effectiveness and at each deemed effective date pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) under the 1933 Act Regulations, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations. Each preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, at the time each was filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act Regulations and each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus delivered to the Underwriter for use in connection with this offering was identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

     The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, when they became effective or at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1934 Act (the “1934 Act Regulations”).

     (ii) Accurate Disclosure. Neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at its effective time, at the Closing Time, contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. As of the Applicable Time, neither (A) the General Disclosure Package nor (B) any individual Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any

amendment or supplement thereto (including any prospectus wrapper), as of its issue date, at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), or at the Closing Date, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, at the time the Registration Statement became effective or when such documents incorporated by reference were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, when read together with the other information in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, did not and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

     The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter or the Selling Stockholder expressly for use therein. For purposes of this Agreement, the only information so furnished shall be the information in the first paragraph under the heading “Underwriting—Commissions and Discounts,” the information in the second and third paragraphs under the heading “Underwriting—Price Stabilization, Short Positions” and the information under the heading “Underwriting—Electronic Offer, Sale and Distribution of Shares” in each case contained in the Prospectus (collectively, the “Underwriter Information”).

     (iii) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. No Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein, and any preliminary or other prospectus deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified. Any offer that is a written communication relating to the Securities made prior to the initial filing of the Registration Statement by the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this paragraph only, of Rule 163(c) of the 1933 Act Regulations) has been filed with the Commission in accordance with the exemption provided by Rule 163 under the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 163”) and otherwise complied with the requirements of Rule 163, including without limitation the legending requirement, to qualify such offer for the exemption from Section 5(c) of the 1933 Act provided by Rule 163.

     (iv) Company Not Ineligible Issuer. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an ineligible issuer.

     (v) Financial Statements; Independent Accountants. The audited and unaudited consolidated financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries (including all notes and schedules thereto) included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, present fairly in all material respects the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates and for the periods to which they relate and have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis, except as otherwise stated therein. The summary and selected financial and statistical data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the

Prospectus relating to the Company present fairly in all material respects the information shown therein and have been prepared and compiled on a basis consistent with the audited financial statements included therein, except as otherwise stated therein. Ernst & Young LLP (the “Independent Accountants”) is an independent registered public accounting firm within the meaning of the 1933 Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and the rules and regulations of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

     (vi) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Except as otherwise stated therein, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (A) there has been no material adverse change in the general affairs, management, business, financial condition or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”), (B) there have been no transactions entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, other than those in the ordinary course of business, which are material with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, and (C) except for regular quarterly dividends on the Common Stock in amounts per share that are consistent with past practice, there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock.

     (vii) Good Standing of the Company and its Subsidiaries. Each of the Company and its “significant subsidiaries” (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X) (each a “Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Subsidiaries”) has been duly incorporated or formed, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its respective jurisdiction of incorporation or formation and has all requisite corporate or limited liability company power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as now conducted and as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; each of the Company and its Subsidiaries is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation or limited liability company in good standing in all other jurisdictions where the ownership or leasing of its properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of any Subsidiary was issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of such Subsidiary. The only subsidiaries of the Company are (A) the subsidiaries listed on Exhibit 21 to the Registration Statement and (B) certain other subsidiaries which, considered in the aggregate as a single subsidiary, do not constitute a “Subsidiary” as defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X.

     (viii) Capitalization. The outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company, including the Securities to be purchased by the Underwriter from the Selling Stockholder, have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company, including the Securities to be purchased by the Underwriter from the Selling Stockholder, was issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.

     (ix) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

     (x) Authorization and Description of Securities. The Common Stock conforms to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and such description conforms to the rights set forth in the instruments defining the same.

     (xi) Registration Rights. Other than the Selling Shareholder, there are no persons with registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities registered for sale pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise registered for sale or sold by the Company under the 1933 Act pursuant to this Agreement.

     (xii) Absence of Further Requirements, Violations, Defaults and Conflicts. No consent, approval, authorization or order of any court or governmental agency or body, including Gaming Authorities, is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, or the sale of the Securities hereunder, in each case, as contemplated hereby, except such as have been obtained or may be required to be obtained under the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, such as may be required under state securities or “Blue Sky” laws, the rules of the NASDAQ Stock Market LLC or the rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). None of the Company or its Subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its certificate or articles of incorporation or bylaws or its articles of organization or operating agreement (or similar organizational document), (ii) in breach or violation of any statute, judgment, decree, order, rule or regulation applicable to any of them or any of their respective properties or assets, except for any such breach or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect or (iii) in breach of or default under (nor has any event occurred that, with notice or passage of time or both, would constitute a default under) or in violation of any of the terms or provisions of any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, note, lease, license, franchise agreement, permit, certificate, contract or other agreement or instrument to which any of them is a party or to which any of them or their respective properties or assets is subject (collectively, “Contracts”), except for any such breach, default, violation or event that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

     (xiii) Noncontravention. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including the sale of the Securities by the Selling Stockholder) and compliance by the Company with its obligations under this Agreement do not and will not, conflict with or constitute or result in a breach of or a default under (or an event that with notice or passage of time or both would constitute a default under) or violation of any of (i) the terms or provisions of any Contract, except for any such conflict, breach, default or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the certificate or articles of incorporation or bylaws (or similar organizational document) of the Company or (iii) (assuming compliance with all applicable state securities or “Blue Sky” laws and receipt of approvals, registrations and filings described in subsection (xii) above) any statute, judgment, decree, order, rule or regulation applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiary or any of their respective properties or assets, except for any such conflict, breach or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

     (xiv) Absence of Labor Dispute. There is no strike, labor dispute, slowdown or work stoppage with the employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, threatened that would, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.

     (xv) Absence of Proceedings. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is not pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, threatened any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party, or to which the property or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries are subject, before or brought by any court, arbitrator or governmental agency or body that would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or that seeks to restrain, enjoin, prevent the consummation of or otherwise challenge the sale of the Securities to be sold hereunder.

     (xvi) Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or documents which are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which have not been so described and filed as required.

     (xvii) Possession of Licenses and Permits. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries possesses all licenses (including, but not limited to, gaming licenses), permits, certificates, consents, orders, approvals and other authorizations from, and has made all declarations and filings with, all federal, state, local and other governmental authorities, all self-regulatory organizations and all courts and other tribunals, presently required or necessary to own or lease, as the case may be, and to operate its respective properties and to carry on its respective businesses as now conducted as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (“Permits”), except where the failure to obtain such Permits would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; except to the extent disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus with respect to Gaming Laws and except for matters which would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has fulfilled and performed all of its obligations with respect to such Permits and no event has occurred that allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or results in any other material impairment of the rights of the holder of any such Permit; and none of the Company or its Subsidiaries has received any notice of any proceeding relating to revocation or modification of any such Permit, except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus and except where such revocation or modification would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

     (xviii) Title to Property. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has good and marketable title to all real property and good title to all personal property described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus as being owned by it and good and marketable title to a leasehold estate in the real and personal property described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus as being leased by it, free and clear of all liens, charges, encumbrances or restrictions, except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or to the extent the failure to have such title or the existence of such liens, charges, encumbrances or restrictions would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. All Contracts to which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them is bound are valid and enforceable against the Company or such Subsidiary, and, to the knowledge of the Company, are valid and enforceable against the other party or parties thereto and are in full force and effect with only such exceptions as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its Subsidiaries own or possess adequate licenses or other rights to use all patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights and know-how necessary to conduct the businesses now operated by them as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, and none of the Company or its

Subsidiaries has received any notice of infringement of or conflict with (or knows of any such infringement of or conflict with) asserted rights of others with respect to any patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights or know-how that is reasonably likely to be sustained and that, if such assertion of infringement or conflict were sustained, would have a Material Adverse Effect.

     (xix) Environmental Laws. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, (A) each of the Company and its Subsidiaries is in compliance with and not subject to liability under applicable Environmental Laws (as defined below), (B) each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has made all filings and provided all notices required under any applicable Environmental Law, and has and is in compliance with all Permits required under any applicable Environmental Laws and each of them is in full force and effect, (C) there is no civil, criminal or administrative action, suit, demand, claim, hearing, notice of violation, investigation, proceeding, notice or demand letter or request for information pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, threatened against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries under any Environmental Law, (D) no lien, charge, encumbrance or restriction has been recorded under any Environmental Law with respect to any assets, facility or property owned, operated, leased or controlled by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (E) none of the Company or its Subsidiaries has received notice that it has been identified as a potentially responsible party under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as amended (“CERCLA”), or any comparable state law and (F) no property or facility of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is (i) listed or proposed for listing on the National Priorities List under CERCLA or is (ii) listed in the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, Liability Information System List promulgated pursuant to CERCLA, or on any comparable list maintained by any state or local governmental authority.

     For purposes of this Agreement, “Environmental Laws” means the common law and all applicable federal, state and local laws or regulations, codes, orders, decrees, judgments or injunctions issued, promulgated, approved or entered thereunder, relating to pollution or protection of public or employee health and safety or the environment, including, without limitation, laws relating to (i) emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of hazardous materials into the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, ground water, land surface or subsurface strata), (ii) the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, generation, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of hazardous materials, and (iii) underground and above ground storage tanks and related piping, and emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases therefrom.

     (xx) Accounting Controls and Disclosure Controls. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries (i) makes and keeps accurate books and records and (ii) maintains internal accounting controls that provide reasonable assurance that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s authorization, (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of its financial statements and to maintain accountability for its assets, (C) access to its assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s authorization and (D) the reported accountability for its assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals. The Company and its Subsidiaries maintain systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the 1934 Act) that comply with the requirements of the 1934 Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, management to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The Company and its Subsidiaries maintain an effective system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the 1934 Act) that is designed to ensure that information required to

be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, including controls and procedures designed to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. The Company and its Subsidiaries have carried out evaluations, with the participation of management, of the effectiveness of their disclosure controls and procedures as required by Rule 13a-15 of the 1934 Act.

     (xxi) Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. There has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of its directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), including Section 402 relating to loans and Sections 302 and 906 relating to certificates.

     (xxii) Payment of Taxes. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has filed all necessary federal, state and foreign income and franchise tax returns, except where the failure to so file such returns would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Except for taxes owed but not yet due to be paid and other tax deficiencies that the Company or any Subsidiary is contesting in good faith and for which the Company or such Subsidiary has provided adequate reserves, there is no tax deficiency that has been asserted against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that would have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

     (xxiii) Insurance. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries carries insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as is reasonable in accordance with customary industry practice.

     (xxiv) Investment Company Act. Neither of the Company nor any subsidiary is an “investment company” or “promoter” or “principal underwriter” for an “investment company,” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder.

     (xxv) Absence of Manipulation. None of the Company or its subsidiaries has taken, nor will any of them take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to, or that might be reasonably expected to, cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities.

     (xxvi) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA; and the Company, its subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

     (xxvii) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements and the money laundering statutes and the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

     (xxviii) OFAC. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently subject to any sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”).

     (xxix) Statistical and Market-Related Data. The statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate.

     (xxx) Accurate Summaries. The statements in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus under the headings “Material United States Federal Income Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders of Our Common Stock” and “Description of Capital Stock-Common Stock” and the statements in the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 under the heading “Government Regulation” fairly summarize the matters therein described. There are no legal, governmental, administrative or other regulatory proceedings involving or affecting the Company or any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties or assets that is required to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus pursuant to the 1933 Act that are not described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, nor are there any material contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus pursuant to the 1933 Act that are not described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus Offering Memorandum.

     (xxxi) ERISA. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) none of the Company or its Subsidiaries has any liability for any prohibited transaction or funding deficiency or any complete or partial withdrawal liability with respect to any pension, profit sharing or other plan that is subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries makes or ever has made a contribution and in which any employee of the Company or of any Subsidiary is or has ever been a participant and (ii) with respect to such plans, the Company and each Subsidiary is in compliance in all material respects with all applicable provisions of ERISA.

     (b) Representations and Warranties by the Selling Stockholder. The Selling Stockholder represents and warrants to the Underwriter as of the date hereof, as of the Applicable Time, and as of the Closing Time, and agrees with the Underwriter, as follows:

     (i) Accurate Disclosure. Neither the General Disclosure Package nor the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto includes any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, provided that such representations and warranties set forth in this subsection (b)(i) apply only to statements or omissions made in

reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to the Selling Stockholder furnished in writing by or on behalf of the Selling Stockholder expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any other Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (the “Selling Stockholder Information”); the Selling Stockholder is not prompted to sell the Securities to be sold by the Selling Stockholder hereunder by any information concerning the Company or any subsidiary of the Company which is not set forth in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus.

     (ii) Authorization of this Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of the Selling Stockholder.

     (iii) Noncontravention. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the sale and delivery of the Securities to be sold by the Selling Stockholder and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and compliance by the Selling Stockholder with its obligations hereunder do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any tax, lien, charge or encumbrance upon the Securities to be sold by the Selling Stockholder or any property or assets of the Selling Stockholder pursuant to any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, license, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Selling Stockholder is a party or by which the Selling Stockholder may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of the Selling Stockholder is subject, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the trust agreement or other organizational instrument of the Selling Stockholder, if applicable, or any applicable treaty, law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Selling Stockholder or any of its properties.

     (iv) Valid Title. The Selling Stockholder has, and at the Closing Time will have, valid title to the Securities to be sold by the Selling Stockholder free and clear of all security interests, claims, liens, equities or other encumbrances and the legal right and power, and all authorization and approval required by law, to enter into this Agreement and to sell, transfer and deliver the Securities to be sold by such Selling Stockholder or a valid security entitlement in respect of such Securities.

     (v) Delivery of Securities. Upon payment of the purchase price for the Securities to be sold by the Selling Stockholder pursuant to this Agreement, delivery of such Securities, as directed by the Underwriter, to Cede & Co. (“Cede”) or such other nominee as may be designated by The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), registration of such Securities in the name of Cede or such other nominee, and the crediting of such Securities on the books of DTC to securities accounts (within the meaning of Section 8-501(a) of the UCC) of the Underwriter (assuming that neither DTC nor the Underwriter has notice of any “adverse claim,” within the meaning of Section 8-105 of the Uniform Commercial Code then in effect in the State of New York (“UCC”), to such Securities), (A) under Section 8-501 of the UCC, the Underwriter will acquire a valid “security entitlement” in respect of such Securities and (B) no action (whether framed in conversion, replevin, constructive trust, equitable lien, or other theory) based on any “adverse claim,” within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC, to such Securities may be asserted against the Underwriter with respect to such security entitlement; for purposes of this representation, the Selling Stockholder may assume that when such payment, delivery and crediting occur, (I) such Securities will have been registered in the name of Cede or another nominee designated by DTC, in each case on the Company’s share registry in accordance with its certificate of incorporation, bylaws and applicable law, (II) DTC will be registered as a “clearing

corporation,” within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC, (III) appropriate entries to the accounts of the Underwriter on the records of DTC will have been made pursuant to the UCC, (IV) to the extent DTC, or any other securities intermediary which acts as “clearing corporation” with respect to the Securities, maintains any “financial asset” (as defined in Section 8-102(a)(9) of the UCC in a clearing corporation pursuant to Section 8-111 of the UCC, the rules of such clearing corporation may affect the rights of DTC or such securities intermediaries and the ownership interest of the Underwriter, (V) claims of creditors of DTC or any other securities intermediary or clearing corporation may be given priority to the extent set forth in Section 8-511(b) and 8-511(c) of the UCC and (VI) if at any time DTC or other securities intermediary does not have sufficient Securities to satisfy claims of all of its entitlement holders with respect thereto then all holders will share pro rata in the Securities then held by DTC or such securities intermediary.

     (vi) Absence of Manipulation. The Selling Stockholder has not taken, and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to or which has constituted or would be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

     (vii) Absence of Further Requirements. Assuming the underwriter does not sell more than 5% of the total outstanding shares of Common Stock to one investor (or group of investors acting in concert), no filing with, or consent, approval, authorization, order, registration, qualification or decree of any arbitrator, court, governmental body, regulatory body, administrative agency, Gaming Authority or other authority, body or agency, domestic or foreign, is necessary or required for the performance by the Selling Stockholder of its obligations hereunder or in connection with the sale and delivery of the Securities hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such as have been already obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, such as may be required under state securities or “Blue Sky” laws, the rules of the NASDAQ Stock Market LLC or the rules of FINRA.

     (viii) No Registration or Other Similar Rights. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Selling Stockholder does not have any registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt securities registered for sale by the Company under the Registration Statement or included in the offering contemplated by this Agreement.

     (ix) No Free Writing Prospectuses. The Selling Stockholder has not prepared or had prepared on its behalf or used or referred to, any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405), and has not distributed any written materials in connection with the offer or sale of the Securities.

     (x) No Association with FINRA. Neither the Selling Stockholder nor any of its affiliates directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with any member firm of FINRA or is a person associated with a member (within the meaning of the FINRA By-Laws) of FINRA.

     (c) Officer’s Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered to the Underwriter or to counsel for the Underwriter shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby; and any certificate signed by or on behalf of the Selling Stockholder as such and delivered to the Underwriter or to counsel for the Underwriter pursuant to the terms of this Agreement shall be deemed a

representation and warranty by the Selling Stockholder to the Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.

     SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to the Underwriter; Closing.

     (a) Securities. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Selling Stockholder agrees to sell to the Underwriter, and the Underwriter agrees to purchase from the Selling Stockholder, at the price per share set forth in Schedule A, all of the Securities.

     (b) Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of the Securities, shall be made at the offices of Latham & Watkins LLP, 355 South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90071, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Underwriter and the Selling Stockholder, at 9:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the fourth business day after the date hereof, or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Underwriter and the Selling Stockholder (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called “Closing Time”). Payment shall be made to the Selling Stockholder by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account designated by the Selling Stockholder, against delivery to the Underwriter for its account of the Securities to be purchased by the Underwriter.

     (c) Denominations; Registration. The Securities, in definitive form, and in such authorized denominations and registered in such names as the Underwriter may request in writing at least one full business day before the Closing Time shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Selling Stockholder to the Underwriter through the facilities of DTC for the account of the Underwriter, against payment by the Underwriter of the purchase price therefor.

     SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company and the Selling Stockholder. The Company and the Selling Stockholder covenant with the Underwriter as follows:

     (a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests. The Company, subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the requirements of Rule 430B, and will notify the Underwriter immediately, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall become effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein or for additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the 1933 Act concerning the Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in connection with the offering of the Securities. The Company will effect all filings required under Rule 424(b), in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order, prevention or suspension and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment. The Company shall pay the required Commission filing fees relating to the Securities within the time required by Rule 456 and 457 under the 1933 Act Regulations.

     (b) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 172”), would be) required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Securities, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriter or for the Company, to (i) amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Underwriter notice of such event, (B) prepare any amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or use, furnish the Underwriter with copies of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any such amendment or supplement; provided that the Company shall not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Underwriter or counsel for the Underwriter shall reasonably object. The Company will furnish to the Underwriter such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriter may reasonably request. The Company has given the Underwriter notice of any filings made pursuant to the 1934 Act or 1934 Act Regulations within 48 hours prior to the Applicable Time; the Company will give the Underwriter notice of its intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time to the Closing Time and will furnish the Underwriter with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing, as the case may be.

     (c) Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company has furnished or will deliver to the Underwriter and counsel for the Underwriter, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Underwriter, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for the Underwriter. The copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriter will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

     (d) Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to the Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus as the Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company will furnish to the Underwriter, without charge, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as the Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriter will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

     (e) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will cooperate with the Underwriter, to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Underwriter may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the distribution of the Securities; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.

     (f) Rule 158. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide to the Underwriter the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.

     (g) Listing. The Company will use its best efforts to maintain the listing of the Securities on the Nasdaq Global Select Market.

     (h) Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when a Prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and 1934Act Regulations.

     (i) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Each of the Company and the Selling Stockholder agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Underwriter, it will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided that the Underwriter will be deemed to have consented to the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses listed on Schedule B-2 hereto and any “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) that has been reviewed by the Underwriter. Each of the Company and the Selling Stockholder represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each such free writing prospectus consented to, or deemed consented to, by the Underwriter as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and that it has complied and will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriter and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.

     SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses.

     (a) Expenses. The Company will pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriter of copies of each preliminary prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and any costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by the Underwriter to investors, (iii) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel, accountants and

other advisors, (iv) the qualification of the Securities under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(e) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriter in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (v) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar for the Securities and (vi) the costs and expenses (including, without limitation, any damages or other amounts payable in connection with legal or contractual liability) associated with the reforming of any contracts for sale of the Securities made by the Underwriter caused by a breach of the representation contained in the third sentence of Section 1(a)(ii).

     (b) Expenses of the Selling Stockholder. The Selling Stockholder will pay all expenses incident to the performance of their respective obligations under, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by, this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, issuance and delivery of certificates (if any) for the Securities to the Underwriter, including any stock or other estate and transfer taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities to the Underwriter, (ii) any stamp and other duties and stock and other transfer taxes, if any, payable upon the sale of the Securities to the Underwriter and (iii) the fees and disbursements of its counsel and other advisors.

     (c) Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the Underwriter in accordance with the provisions of Section 5, Section 9(a)(i) or (iii) hereof, the Company and the Selling Stockholder shall reimburse the Underwriter for all of their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriter.

     (d) Allocation of Expenses. The provisions of this Section shall not affect any agreement that the Company and the Selling Stockholder may make for the sharing of such costs and expenses.

     SECTION 5. Conditions of the Underwriter’s Obligations. The obligations of the Underwriter hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling Stockholder contained herein or in certificates of any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or on behalf of the Selling Stockholder delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company and the Selling Stockholder of their respective covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:

     (a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Registration Statement has become effective and at Closing Time no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated; and the Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information. The Company shall have paid the required Commission filing fees relating to the Securities within the time period required by Rule 456 under the 1933 Act Regulations and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456 and 457 under the 1933 Act Regulations.

     (b) Opinion of Counsel for Company. At the Closing Time, the Underwriter shall have received the opinions, each dated the Closing Time, of (i) Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, counsel for the Company, and (ii) Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP, Nevada counsel for the Company, in each case, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriter to the effect set forth in Exhibit A-1 and Exhibit A-2, respectively, hereto.

     (c) Opinion of Counsel for the Selling Stockholder. At the Closing Time, the Underwriter shall have received the opinions, each dated the Closing Time, of (i) Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP,

counsel for the Selling Stockholder, and (ii) the law offices of Gregory J. Morris, Nevada counsel for the Selling Stockholder, in each case, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriter to the effect set forth in Exhibit B-1 and Exhibit B-2, respectively, hereto.

     (d) Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriter. At the Closing Time, the Underwriter shall have received the favorable opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel for the Underwriter, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriter .

     (e) Officers’ Certificate. At the Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the general affairs, management, business, financial condition or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Underwriter shall have received a certificate of the Chief Executive Officer, President or Senior Vice President of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company, dated the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time, (iii) the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement under the 1933 Act has been issued, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to their knowledge, contemplated.

     (f) Certificate of Selling Stockholder. At the Closing Time, the Underwriter shall have received a certificate of the Selling Stockholder, dated the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) the representations and warranties of the Selling Stockholder in this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time and (ii) the Selling Stockholder has complied with all agreements and all conditions on its part to be performed under this Agreement at or prior to the Closing Time.

     (g) Accountant’s Comfort Letter. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Underwriter shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP a letter, dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriter, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

     (h) Bring-down Comfort Letter. At the Closing Time, the Underwriter shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP a letter, dated as of the Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (g) of this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the Closing Time.

     (i) Maintenance of Rating. Since the execution of this Agreement, there shall not have been any decrease in or withdrawal of the rating of any securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined for purposes of Rule 436(g) under the 1933 Act) or any notice given of any intended or potential decrease in or withdrawal of any such rating or of a possible change in any such rating that does not indicate the direction of the possible change.

     (j) Additional Documents. At the Closing Time, counsel for the Underwriter shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company and the Selling Stockholder in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Underwriter and counsel for the Underwriter.

     (k) Termination of Agreement. If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement may be terminated by the Underwriter by notice to the Company and the Selling Stockholder at any time at or prior to Closing Time, as the case may be, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 13 and 14 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.

     SECTION 6. Indemnification.

     (a) Indemnification of the Underwriter. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriter, its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) under the 1933 Act (each, an “Affiliate”)), its selling agents and each person, if any, who controls the Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:

     (i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or the omission or alleged omission in any preliminary prospectus, Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, Prospectus or in any Marketing Materials of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

     (ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 6(e) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company and the Selling Stockholder;

     (iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Underwriter), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;

provided, however, that this indemnity agreement (including the provisions of clauses (i) through (iii) above) shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Registration Statement

(or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.

     (b) Indemnification of the Underwriter. The Selling Stockholder agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriter, its Affiliates and selling agents and each person, if any, who controls the Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act to the extent and in the manner set forth in clauses (a)(i), (ii) and (iii) above; provided that the Selling Stockholder shall be liable only to the extent that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission has been made in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with the Selling Stockholder Information; provided, further, that the liability under this subsection of the Selling Stockholder shall be limited to an amount equal to the aggregate gross proceeds after underwriting commissions and discounts, but before expenses, to the Selling Stockholder from the sale of Securities sold by the Selling Stockholder hereunder.

     (c) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers and Selling Stockholder. The Underwriter agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, and the Selling Stockholder and each person, if any, who controls the Selling Stockholder within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.

     (d) Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) and 6(b) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Underwriter, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(c) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Selling Stockholder. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

     (e) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.

     (f) Other Agreements with Respect to Indemnification. The provisions of this Section shall not affect any agreement among the Company and the Selling Stockholder with respect to indemnification.

     SECTION 7. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Selling Stockholder, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other hand, from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company and the Selling Stockholder, on the one hand, and of the Underwriter, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.

     The relative benefits received by the Selling Stockholder, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Selling Stockholder, on the one hand, and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriter, on the other hand, in each case as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate public offering price of the Securities as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus.

     The relative fault of the Company and the Selling Stockholder, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Selling Stockholder or by the Underwriter and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

     The Company, the Selling Stockholder and the Underwriter agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

     Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, the Underwriter shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting commissions received by the Underwriter in connection with the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public.

     No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

     For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls the Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act and the Underwriter’s Affiliates and selling agents shall have the same rights to contribution as the Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company or the Selling Stockholder within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company or the Selling Stockholder, as the case may be.

     The provisions of this Section shall not affect any agreement among the Company and the Selling Stockholder with respect to contribution.

     SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or the Selling Stockholder submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of the Underwriter or its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling the Underwriter, its officers or directors, any person controlling the Company or any person controlling the Selling Stockholder and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Securities.

     SECTION 9. Termination of Agreement.

     (a) Termination. The Underwriter may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company and the Selling Stockholder(s), at any time at or prior to the Closing Time (i) if there has been, in the judgment of the Underwriter, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the general affairs, management, business, financial condition or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Underwriter, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the completion of the offering or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission or the Nasdaq Global Select Market, or (iv) if trading generally on the New York Stock Exchange or in the Nasdaq Global Market has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by order of the Commission, FINRA or any other governmental authority, or (v) a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States or with respect to Clearstream or Euroclear systems in Europe, or (vi) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal, New York or Nevada authorities.

     (b) Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 13 and 14 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.

     SECTION 10. Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriter shall be directed to the Underwriter at One Bryant Park, New York, New York 10036, attention of Syndicate Department, with a copy to ECM Legal; notices to the Company shall be directed to it at Ameristar Casinos, Inc., 3773 Howard Hughes Parkway, Suite 490 South, Las Vegas, Nevada 89169, attention of Peter C. Walsh; and notices to the Selling Stockholder shall be directed to Estate of Craig H. Neilsen, c/o Neilsen & Company LLC, P.O. Box 5478, Twin Falls, Idaho 83303-5478, attention of Ray H. Neilsen and Gordon R. Kanofsky.

     SECTION 11. No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. Each of the Company and the Selling Stockholder acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the public offering price of the Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company and the Selling Stockholder, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering of the Securities and the process leading thereto, the Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or the Selling Stockholder, or its respective stockholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (c) the Underwriter has not assumed nor will it assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company or the Selling Stockholder with respect to the offering of the Securities or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether the Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company, any of its subsidiaries or the Selling Stockholder on other matters) and the Underwriter has no obligation to the Company or the Selling Stockholder with respect to the offering of the Securities except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) the Underwriter and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of each of the Company and the Selling Stockholder, and (e) the Underwriter have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering of the Securities and the Company and the Selling Stockholder has consulted its own respective legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.

     SECTION 12. Parties. This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriter, the Company and the Selling Stockholder and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriter, the Company and the Selling Stockholder and their respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriter, the Company and the Selling Stockholder and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from the Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.

     SECTION 13. Trial by Jury. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates), the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriter hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by

jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

     SECTION 14. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF, THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO ITS CHOICE OF LAW PROVISIONS.

     SECTION 15. TIME. TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.

     SECTION 16. Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

     SECTION 17. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, by manual, facsimile or electronic signature, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement.

     SECTION 18. Effect of Headings. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

     SECTION 19. The execution of this Agreement by the co-executors of the Selling Stockholder shall be solely on behalf of the Selling Stockholder and not in their individual capacity, and it is expressly understood and agreed that nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed as imposing liability on any such co-executor personally.

     If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company and the Selling Stockholder a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement among the Underwriter, the Company and the Selling Stockholder in accordance with its terms.

[Company Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]

[Selling Stockholder Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]

[Underwriter Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]

SCHEDULE A

The purchase price per share for the Securities to be paid by the Underwriter shall be $21.84.

		Number of
Name of Underwriter		Securities
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated			4,560,055
Total			4,560,055

SCHEDULE B-1

Pricing Terms

The Selling Stockholder is selling 4,560,055 shares of Common Stock.

SCHEDULE B-2

Free Writing Prospectuses

None.