Encore Boston Harbor Revenue Hits Post-Pandemic Low as Union Strike Drags On

As of Oct. 20, the union strike at Encore Boston Harbor reached its 47th day, with roughly 1,300 workers continuing to walk the picket line outside the $2.6 billion resort casino.

The financial toll of the labor dispute is mounting on both sides. Striking members of Unite Here Local 26 and Teamsters Local 25 have received only minimal union stipends since walking off the job in early September, while parent company Wynn Resorts is seeing a direct hit to its bottom line as picketers urge patrons to boycott the property.

The strike’s impact on the Encore Boston Harbor casino came to light today (Oct. 20) through data disclosures supplied by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC).

The state gaming regulator reported that Encore generated $46.06 million in gross gaming revenue (GGR) in September—a 22% decline compared to the same period in 2025. The tally marks the casino’s lowest monthly revenue performance since February 2021, when state-mandated COVID-19 capacity restrictions remained in place.

Slot Drop and Table Games Decline

Coin-in on Encore’s 2,700-plus slot machines dropped more than 20% year-over-year, falling from $444.4 million in September 2025 to $354.4 million last month.

Slot machines paid out at a rate of 92.41%—the property’s highest payout percentage since January 2020. However, looser payout rates failed to offset falling foot traffic, as table game revenue dropped to $19.1 million, also marking a post-pandemic low.

The sharp drop in revenue extended to state tax collections. Massachusetts collects a 25% tax on gross gaming revenue from resort casinos, yielding $11.5 million from Encore in September, down from $14.8 million a year earlier.

Elsewhere in the state, MGM Springfield posted $22.2 million in GGR (down 1.2%), while Plainridge Park Casino, a slots-only facility, saw GGR rise 2.4% to $14.3 million. Plainridge machines paid out at 92.9%, while MGM Springfield recorded a 91.31% payout rate.

Contract Negotiations Ongoing

Union leaders are holding firm on demands for what they call the “Boston standard,” seeking $10-per-hour wage increases over four years and a minimum starting wage of $25 per hour. They are also pushing for contractual guarantees covering healthcare coverage and pension contributions across all job classifications.

Wynn has told Casino.org that it’s offered a fair contract and continues to bargain in good faith. But the casino giant believes additional overhead in an inflated economic environment risks jobs, the very ones the unions seek to protect.

In August, Wynn Resorts reported that Encore Boston Harbor generated operating revenues of $209.3 million during the second quarter of 2026, a decrease of $6.4 million.

Adjusted property EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) was $56.1 million, compared to $63.9 million for the second quarter of 2025.