Penn Entertainment Tops All-Index DEI Rankings

Penn Entertainment scored the highest in the soon-to-be-released All-Index report, courtesy of the All-In Diversity Project.

The nonprofit organization measures diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts across the gaming industry. The index and the related survey serve as avenues to highlight operators’ strengths and weaknesses regarding DEI.

The All-Index is an annual survey open to any business within a specific global industry that measures diversity, inclusion and belonging across their organisation. All participants get a score of 1-100 upon completion to be used as a baseline and benchmark for strategic and stakeholder planning as well as identifying key aims and objectives for the year ahead and beyond,” according to All-In.

The organization noted that Penn, the largest operator of regional casinos, topped the rankings followed by Entain and International Game Technology (IGT). Last year, slot machine giant Aristocrat took the top spot followed by Sweden’s Betsson, with Kindred and IGT tied for third. This year’s full rankings will be released later in the current quarter.

DEI on Casino Industry Radar

In recent years, DEI has become an increasingly prominent part of the corporate lexicon as companies across myriad industries look to diversify their workforces.

“The All-Index sets an annual benchmark for diversity, equality, and inclusion across various industry sectors. Participation is always free and we benchmark your progress for as long as your organisation participates,” notes the index provider.

In addition to the aforementioned gaming companies, All-In Diversity Project member firms include FanDuel parent Flutter Entertainment, Light & Wonder, Facebook owner Meta, and Playtech, among others.

DEI Facing Headwinds

While the gaming industry has made DEI strides, there’s still work to be done on that front, and operators’ level of commitment to diversity could be tested at a time when corporate America is moving away from DEI.

President Trump made the restoration of merit-based hiring and promotions for federal workers one of the centerpieces of his 2024 campaign and last week signed some related executive orders. Since then, major companies such as Amazon, McDonald’s, Meta, and Target, among others, revealed plans to dial back DEI plans.

Conversely, some big corporations, including Costco, Goldman Sachs, and JPMorgan Chase remain committed to DEI.

“For our employees, these efforts are built around inclusion — having all of our employees feel valued and respected. Our efforts at diversity, equity, and inclusion remind and reinforce with everyone at our Company the importance of creating opportunities for all. We believe that these efforts enhance our capacity to attract and retain employees who will help our business succeed,” according to a recent Costco board proposal.