DraftKings, Everi Among Gaming Companies on Best Places to Work List

Posted on: April 30, 2024, 03:23h. 

Last updated on: May 1, 2024, 09:58h.

Todd Shriber @etfgodfather Read More
Expertise: Financial, Gaming Business, Mergers and Acquisitions.

DraftKings and Everi are among the gaming companies appearing on the 2024 version of Energage’s “Top Workplaces USA 2024” list.

DraftKings
Employees at DraftKings headquarters. The gaming company was ranked as one of the best places to work in a recent survey. (Image: CNBC)

For Everi, a Las Vegas-based gaming device manufacturer and fintech firm, this year marks its third consecutive appearance on the rankings. Everi, which in February announced a $6.2 billion merger with the global gaming and PlayDigital units of International Game Technology (IGT), appears on the Energage rankings of companies with 1,000 to 2,499 employees. The firm is the only gaming entity on that list.

Everi’s India offices received an annual certification as a Great Place to Work from the Great Place to Work Institute in India. In addition to the national honors, in 2023 Everi was also named to both the Nevada Top Workplaces and the Greater Austin Top Workplaces list,” said the company in a statement.

Energage polled workers of private sector and public entities across four staff sizes – 100-499, 500-999, 1,000-2,499, and 2,500+.

DraftKings Scores Well, Too

In the 2,500+ employees group, DraftKings placed 34th, making it the highest-ranking gaming company. The Boston-based online sportsbook operator has 3,100 staffers, according to Energage.

This is the second consecutive year in which DraftKings appeared on the Top Workplaces USA list. In addition to that accolade, the gaming company ranked as one of the best places to work in New Jersey for this year after receiving the same recognition in Boston in 2022 and 2023, and Las Vegas last year.

The next highest-ranking gaming entity on the large employer section of the Energage survey was the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on the Atlantic City Boardwalk in New Jersey. That employer ranked 38th and was followed by another gaming venue run by a Native American Tribe –Sycuan Casino Resort in El Cajon, Calif., which placed 44th on the list.

Rivers Casino in Des Plaines, Ill. was the other gaming entity on the large employers list of best places to work. That venue is operated by Chicago-based Rush Street.

Why Happy Employees Matter

While the gaming industry — particularly land-based casinos — is consumer-facing, implying it runs on a customer satisfaction model. As a result, there’s value in DraftKings, Everi, and the other operators mentioned above in having satisfied workers.

Recent research from the University of Warwick confirmed employees who described themselves as “happy” were 12% more productive than their less enthusiastic counterparts. That satisfaction lends itself to other areas that are coveted by employers, including employee creativity and retention, lower rates of absenteeism, and elevated engagement.

Relevant to DraftKings and Everi because both are publicly traded companies, is research suggesting that shares of companies with workers describing themselves as content or satisfied outperform the stocks of rivals where staffers are longing for more or are unhappy.