Wynn Resorts offers remote work options to employees in war-torn Middle East

Amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, US-based gaming giant Wynn Resorts has given employees in the United Arab Emirates the option to work “remotely from abroad if their home embassy has advised them to leave the country”.

With hostilities escalating between US-Israeli forces and Iran, the US State Department has urged Americans to leave “due to severe, escalating safety risks”. In a Tuesday post on X, Americans were advised to “DEPART NOW” from 14 Middle East countries and territories, including the UAE. But with limits on air travel, citizens are growing increasingly frustrated, and in many cases, frightened.

“They say ‘Get out’. But how do you expect us to get out when airspaces are closed?” Dallas resident Odies Turner, now in Qatar, told the Associated Press. “They just have been cancelling every flight. I want to go home.”

The conflict erupted on 28 February, when US and Israeli forces attacked Iran to “dismantle the regime’s security apparatus”. Iran retaliated with strikes across the region, including the UAE. Missiles and drones have damaged major airports, including Dubai International. On Tuesday, the US closed its embassies in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Lebanon, and ordered diplomats to evacuate.

War could risk regional stability, industry

The tensions could undermine the Gulf region’s reputation for stability and safety. According to Time Magazine, that perception “helped it cultivate investment, draw in expatriates and attract tourism from around the world”.

Analysts have suggested that the US$5.1 billion Wynn Al Marjan Island, set to open next March, could double tourism to Ras Al Khaimah. As a gaming destination, it is expected to rival Singapore and Macau.

A season of war could change all that, and Iran has threatened “everlasting” consequences for its opponents’ “strategic error”.

Meanwhile, Wynn says it has “plans in place to secure the safety of our employees should the situation necessitate”. Given restrictions on air travel, the operator offered a “variety of additional housing options to help employees and their families feel more secure and comfortable. For the safety and security of our employees, we will not publicly disclose their housing or any travel arrangements”.