Encore revenues: Strike has an effect on casino income, tax haul
Encore Boston Harbor's September casino revenues fell about 22 percent as an ongoing worker strike kept gamblers away.Summary
Casino revenues at Encore Boston Harbor dropped more than 20 percent in September, the first concrete sign that the ongoing worker strike is hurting the resort's business. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission reported the casino's gross revenue from table and slot games was $46.1 million, roughly a 22 percent decrease from a year earlier. Picketing workers have been stationed around the clock, deterring potential patrons. The state's share of revenue from the Everett casino fell to $11.5 million, its lowest since 2021 and down from $14.8 million last year. Union leaders said the numbers show many Massachusetts residents won't cross the picket line and urged the casino to reach an agreement. Other Massachusetts casinos, MGM Springfield and Plainridge Park, posted relatively stable year-over-year numbers. More than 1,300 workers, including slot attendants, waitstaff, housekeepers, and delivery drivers, have been on strike since September 4 after their contract expired August 31. The casino and the unions, UNITE HERE Local 26 and Teamsters Local 25, have met only twice for formal bargaining since the strike began. An Encore spokesperson said the casino is awaiting the unions' response to a September proposal and noted the revenue decline also reduces tax revenue for the Commonwealth. The Gaming Commission is set to discuss the strike's impact at its upcoming meeting on Thursday.
(Source：The Boston Globe)