Oct. 20 marks the 47th day of the Encore Boston Harbor strike, with 1,300 union workers continuing to walk the picket line in front of the $2.6 billion five-star luxury resort casino.
The financial consequences are severe, with union members of Unite Here Local 26 and Teamsters Local 25 having only received small stipends since the strike began in early September. Wynn Resorts is also suffering, as the unions continue to urge the public not to cross their picket line.
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 revealed that Encore Boston Harbor’s gross gaming revenue (GGR) in September totaled less than $46.1 million. The official result of $46,064,209, a 22% drop from September 2025, marked Encore’s lowest monthly tally since February 2021, when state-mandated COVID-19 restrictions remained.
Encore Loosens Slots
The state data revealed that slot-in on Encore Boston Harbor’s more than 2,700 slot machines dropped over 20%, from $444.4 million in September 2025 to $354.4 million last month.
Encore Boston Harbor’s slots were loose, paying out at a rate of 92.41%, the highest since January 2020. Loose slots weren’t enough to attract players, as table game revenue slid to less than $19.2 million, the casino’s lowest mark since February 2021.
Massachusetts also felt the financial strain of the labor dispute, as the state’s 25% cut of casino revenue totaled just $11.5 million.
MGM Springfield posted GGR of $22.2 million, down 1.2%, and Plainridge Park Casino, a slots-only facility, grew GGR by 2.4% to $14.3 million.
MGM slots paid out at 91.31% and Plainridge Park’s machines, typically the loosest in Massachusetts, were programmed at 92.9%.
Contract Talks Continue
The unions continue to fight for a fair contract that they are calling the “Boston standard.” That standard, Unite Here and Teamsters leaders say, can only be reached with $10 per hour increases over four years and a minimum starting pay of $25 an hour.
The unions also want guarantees for health care coverage and pension benefits for all union members, regardless of rank and seniority.
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.
