Encore Boston Harbor reported a sharp drop in September gaming revenue as a strike by more than 1,300 union workers continued.
According to the most recent revenue report from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, the resort brought in about $46.1 million from slots and table games. That's down about 22% from September last year. The Boston casino remains open, but the results suggest the labor dispute is putting pressure on its business.
The decline also reduced Massachusetts’ tax collections. Although the timing points to the strike as a likely factor, the revenue figures alone cannot show exactly how much of the slowdown it caused.
It is now the longest strike since Marriott hotel workers walked out in 2018.
Encore Boston Harbor Posts Its Lowest Gaming Revenue Since 2021
Encore Boston Harbor recorded $46,064,209 in gross gaming revenue for September. That was its lowest monthly total since February 2021, when pandemic restrictions were still affecting operations.
Gross gaming revenue measures the money a casino retains from gambling after paying winnings. It does not represent all the money guests spend at a resort’s hotel, restaurants, and other businesses.
September’s weakness showed up across the casino floor:
- Slot betting fell sharply. The total amount wagered dropped from about $444.4 million a year earlier to $354.4 million, a decline of more than 20%.
- Table-game revenue slipped below $19.2 million. That was also its lowest level since February 2021.
Other Massachusetts casinos reported much smaller changes. MGM Springfield generated about $22 million in gaming revenue, slightly below the previous September. Plainridge Park Casino brought in about $14.6 million, a modest increase.
That difference makes Encore’s results stand out. Rather than reflecting a similar downturn across the state’s casinos, the September figures point toward challenges specific to the Everett property.
Why Are Encore Boston Harbor Workers on Strike?
The strike began September 4, after the workers’ contract expired August 31. Employees represented by UNITE HERE Local 26 and Teamsters Local 25 include:
Housekeepers
- Cooks
- Servers
- Bartenders
- Slot Attendants
- Drivers
The dispute centers on wages, health care, and retirement benefits.
Workers say their pay should better reflect the resort’s financial performance and the cost of living in the Boston area. Encore reported about $847 million in operating revenue in 2025, according to Wynn filings cited by GBH.
Published accounts have described different wage proposals. Early reporting outlined demands for a $10 hourly increase over three years for non-tipped workers and a $5 increase for tipped workers. Later coverage described a $10 increase over four years and a $25 starting wage. Those differences mean the reported proposals should not be treated as one confirmed, current set of terms.
Wynn Says a New Contract Must Be Sustainable
Wynn Resorts, which operates Encore Boston Harbor, says it has offered a fair contract and continues to bargain in good faith. The company argues that higher labor costs must be balanced against the property’s revenue growth.
Wynn CEO Craig Billings said Encore’s labor costs had risen nearly 37% over four years while revenue increased less than 2%. Those figures represent the company’s explanation of the financial pressures behind its bargaining position.
Negotiations have moved slowly. The Boston Globe reported October 20 that the two sides had held only two formal bargaining sessions since the strike began. An Encore spokesperson said the company was waiting for a response to a September proposal, although both sides described some recent conversations as moving in a positive direction.
Is the Boston Casino Still Open During the Strike?
Encore Boston Harbor has remained open during the walkout, using replacement and non-union workers to continue operations.
Remaining open, however, does not mean business continues without disruption. Customers still have to decide whether to cross the picket line. Union leaders say the September revenue decline shows that some guests are choosing to stay away.
The financial results support concerns about the strike’s effect, but they do not provide a complete picture. Customer counts and foot-traffic data would help show whether fewer people visited the property and how those visits changed during the dispute, according to a hospitality labor relations specialist interviewed by the Globe.
Lower Casino Revenue Means Less Money for Massachusetts
Massachusetts collected about $11.5 million in taxes from Encore Boston Harbor’s September gaming revenue. That was down from about $14.8 million a year earlier—a decrease of roughly $3.3 million. It was the state’s lowest monthly tax collection from the property since 2021.
The decline shows why the dispute matters beyond the workers and casino management. When Encore’s taxable gaming revenue falls, the state’s share falls with it. Despite September’s slowdown, the property remained the largest casino revenue source in Massachusetts.
What Happens Next at Encore Boston Harbor?
As of the latest October 20–21 reporting, the strike remained unresolved. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission was also preparing to discuss the dispute’s impact at its upcoming Thursday meeting.
Future revenue reports will help show whether September was an isolated setback or the start of a longer slowdown. For now, the results offer an early financial measure of a dispute that has stretched well beyond the bargaining table. Both sides face growing pressure to reach an agreement while the Boston casino continues operating behind the picket line.
