A Manhattan Commercial Division judge on Monday dismissed a claim by embattled casino operator Caesars Entertainment that a group of its creditors defamed the company in statements to the media and in regulatory hearings.

In January, Caesars' largest business unit, Caesars Entertainment Operating Company—which controls Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Caesars Atlantic City and at least a dozen other properties—voluntarily entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Caesars recently has been in fights with creditors in numerous courts—including the Delaware Court of Chancery and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois—stemming from a plan to restructure $18 billion in debt.