Wild Rails

About Wild Rails

About 1,300 workers represented by UNITE HERE Local 26 and Teamsters Local 25 unions at Encore Boston Harbor went on strike on Friday after their previous collective bargaining agreement expired on 31 August.

In a statement, Wynn Resorts said the unions chose to strike “despite our continued efforts” to negotiate a new deal. Workers are calling for wage increases, healthcare and pension benefits and job security protections. The casino will remain operational despite the walkout. Workers had voted to authorise the strike on 20 August.

“We are committed to finding common ground that is fair, financially sustainable and protects jobs for the long term,” Wynn said.

What is Wild Rails?

According to Multiples.VC, the average enterprise multiple (EV/EBITDA) of top US-listed gaming companies is currently 10x. Data from New York University last updated in January pegged the overall market average at 23.9x and 19.7x among EBITDA-positive firms, suggesting the sector is undervalued relative to other industries. In a report released Monday, Fitch Ratings said most North American gaming companies hold “Stable” outlooks with “adequate rating headroom” despite consumer headwinds.

Macquarie’s Beynon agrees with that sentiment, pointing to the relative stability of gaming companies through tough economic stretches such as the Covid-19 pandemic. Bankruptcies in the sector have been low relative to the broader market, he notes, and both land-based and digital companies have reason for optimism moving forward.

“It’s certainly not lost on us that this sector has underperformed for several years in a row just because it doesn’t have either the growth of say, tech companies, or the perceived free cash flow-insulated businesses, which we believe it does…We’ve thought there’s been value in the sector for a few years, particularly this year,” he told iGB.

About Wild Rails

“The current landscape pays lip service to responsible gaming, and you’d hardly see effective player protection architecture other than messages asking players to gamble responsibly and surface-level awareness campaigns.

“Having a minimum standard in player protection is one of the aims of the network. Our view is that responsible gaming regulations need to move beyond being paper-based requirements to actual standards that are upheld as a regulatory requirement.”

The ARGN’s launch follows the inaugural Africa Safer Gambling Week earlier this month.