Gold Strike Casino Workers Unionize With Teamsters Local 667 in Mississippi

Workers at Tunica, Mississippi-based Gold Strike Casino Resort announced Monday they have voted to join Memphis, Tennessee-based Teamsters Local 667 labor union through a card-check majority.

Close to 300 housekeepers, food and beverage workers, and cocktail waitresses sought stronger union representation through a Teamsters contract to secure higher wages, better benefits, and improved working conditions.

“We’re expanding our footprint across the casino industry by standing with workers and delivering real improvements on the job,” said Tommy Blitsch, Director of the Teamsters Convention, Trade Show, and Casino Division, in a press release.

“By organizing workers and raising standards, we’re changing the industry for the better. This win adds to our momentum, and there’s more to come.”

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.3 million people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico.

“Each day, we build power by growing our membership, and this organizing victory is another step forward,” said James E. Jones III, President of Local 667. “These new Teamsters are determined, militant, and ready to help one another. I’m excited to welcome this group.”

Currently, there are 30 land-based casinos, including retail sportsbooks, in The Magnolia State. Gold Strike features 50,000 square feet of gaming space with over 1,200 machines and 50 table games. It also features a sportsbook powered by DraftKings, which includes 10 self-service kiosks and four live tellers.

Labor Concerns Cloud Any Future Online Expansion

The Mississippi Legislature convened its 2026 Regular Session this week. Still, prospects for mobile sports betting, let alone iGaming expansion, remain remote — a reality that closely aligns with long-standing labor concerns within the state’s casino industry.

As of the session’s opening, there are no active bills to legalize iGaming or to authorize statewide mobile sports betting.

Organized labor groups have historically opposed iGaming and the expansion of broad mobile wagering. They argue that online gambling risks cannibalizing brick-and-mortar revenue. More critically, it risks eliminating in-person jobs across gaming floors, hospitality, and food and beverage operations — the very positions unionizing at Gold Strike.

Union opposition was a key factor in the failure of iGaming efforts in states like New York and Maryland. That dynamic has also played out repeatedly in Mississippi.

Legislative efforts in 2024 and 2025 to expand mobile sports betting passed in the House but stalled in the Senate. Some senators have raised concerns about the impacts on the workforce and revenue cannibalization from the retail casino sector.

Against that backdrop, recent labor gains at Gold Strike underscore why Mississippi remains cautious about expanding digital gambling. The state’s gaming economy remains heavily dependent on on-site employment, leaving little political appetite — from either unions or casino operators — to accelerate iGaming or mobile betting initiatives.

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