Every major hotel-casino on the Strip is now unionized.
Following 18 hours of negotiations between the Culinary and Bartenders Unions and the Fontainebleau hotel-casino, a tentative agreement on a new union contract was reached over the weekend, according to a news release.
The agreement was finalized on Dec. 19 and ratified Dec. 30. It will be effective from Jan. 1 through Sept. 30, 2028.
The contract includes access to Culinary Health Fund benefits, housing and legal fund programs, a union pension. The new agreement also secures the largest wage increases ever, workload reductions, daily room cleaning for guest room attendants, safety protections for workers on-the-job, recall rights and the right for unionized workers to support non-union restaurant workers seeking to unionize.
“This milestone agreement not only guarantees job security and fair wages, but also upholds the high standards the Culinary Union has tirelessly fought to establish across Las Vegas,” said Ted Pappageorge, secretary-treasurer for the Culinary Workers Union Local 226.
“We applaud Fontainebleau Las Vegas for stepping up and doing the right thing by adopting the same strong language that protects workers in every casino along the Las Vegas Strip.”
Westgate unveils latest themed suite
The Lucky Bunny Suite is the latest themed booking option at the off-Strip Westgate hotel-casino.
The Lucky Bunny Suite at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino was designed in collaboration with Sandi Taylor, a one-time Playboy Playmate, actress, model and Las Vegas Raider’s sommelier.
The 1,611-square-foot, one-bedroom suite features a private 235-square-foot balcony, an oversized freestanding bathtub and walls adorned with vintage covers from the men’s lifestyle magazine that inspired the space.
“Las Vegas is a city built on fantasy and indulgence, and this suite delivers just that—a fun, glamorous, and totally unique stay experience,” said Cami Christensen, president and general manager of Westgate.
Taylor said the Lucky Bunny Suite is “more than a luxurious escape — it’s a mood, a moment, and a celebration of confidence and playfulness.”
New Jersey may raise tax rate on online casino, mobile sports betting
Lawmakers in New Jersey are mulling a tax increase to online casino and mobile sports betting revenue.
Gov. Phil Murphy, a two-term Democrat, suggested raising the tax rate to 25 percent on digital gambling revenue in his fiscal year 2026 budget proposal. Currently, New Jersey taxes sports betting revenue at 13 percent and online casinos at 15 percent.
Online casinos are the fastest-growing gambling vertical in all six states where they are legal, including the Garden State. In 2024, online casinos generated slightly more than $2.38 billion, a year-over-year increase of more than 24 percent. Meanwhile, Atlantic City’s nine casinos reported $2.8 billion in gross gaming revenue in 2024, a YoY decline of 1.1 percent.
The gaming industry quickly came out against the proposal.
The Casino Association of New Jersey “strongly opposes the proposed tax increase for online gaming, which will threaten the stability of Atlantic City’s gaming and tourism industry, as well as the industry’s workforce,” the business group said in a statement.
The tax hike proposal already has bipartisan opposition in the State Legislature.
“Simply put, doubling the tax on online sports betting and iGaming is putting a New Jersey success story at significant risk,” Democratic state Sen. John Burzichelli and Republican state Sen. Michael Testa said in a joint statement.
Macao gaming
Gross gaming revenue for Macao rebounded from a lackluster January last month, even though the Lunar New Year began in January and its celebration ran into February this year.
The Chinese enclave’s Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau reported revenue of $2.47 billion (U.S.) in February, a 6.8 percent increase over February 2024, which had the benefit of a 29th day because of Leap Year.
The Year of the Snake kicked off Jan. 29 and its celebration continued into February. A year ago, the Year of the Dragon began Feb. 10.
The two-month total for Macao, the home of several casino properties operated by Las Vegas Sands Corp., MGM Resorts International and Wynn Resorts Ltd., reached $4.75 billion (U.S.), a 0.5 percent increase from the year-ago period.
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