Majority of Nevada Residents Want Smoking Banned in Casinos

By Jane Shaw Senior Editor Updated: 05/06/2024

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We count on Jane to inform our readers about the latest slot games in the US market. With her passion for video games and a degree in engineering, she’s our gambling tech expert. Jane’s also active in our blog section, where she tackles the curiosities and changes in the industry.

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Nevada Residents Favor Casino Smoking Ban

A recent study carried out by Normington Petts, a polling and campaign strategy firm based in Washington, DC, has revealed that the majority of Nevada residents are in favor of closing the loophole that currently permits indoor smoking in casinos across the state.

Commissioned by the Nevada Tobacco Control and Smoke-free Coalition, the study found that nearly 58 percent of Nevada voters support amending the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act, which came into effect back in December 2006. They want the exemption for casinos to be removed, which would then require them to adopt smoke-free policies.

Legislative Efforts Underway in NJ

This revelation comes at a time when legislative efforts are underway in Atlantic City, New Jersey, to amend the Smoke-Free Air Act. The exemption allows casinos to designate up to 25 percent of their gaming space for indoor smoking. The call for change is growing, and it has been fueled by recent research findings highlighting the dangers of secondhand smoke indoors.

One dealer at the Flamingo said that she’d been a dealer for over three decades and that she had seen first-hand the impact of smoking on other people. She said:

I’ve seen a lot of the health of the long-term dealers decline – asthma, bronchitis, heart disease, breathing issues. A lot of people’s health situations during the three months (of COVID-19-related casino closures) got better. But unfortunately, that only lasted for a short time, and they allowed smoking again.

Researchers at the School of Public Health at the University of Nevada, Reno, conducted a study on air quality within Nevada casinos, comparing smoking and nonsmoking areas. Their investigation concluded that secondhand smoke indoors is 18 times more hazardous than in outdoor air.

These findings mirrored those of a previous study by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which detected elevated levels of particulate matter in supposedly smoke-free areas of casinos. PM particles, which are minuscule and can linger in the air for over 24 hours, can pose significant health risks, according to experts.

Resistance from the Casino Industry

While a number of states with commercial gaming industries have already implemented 100 percent smoke-free policies in their casinos, Nevada continues to face resistance to these measures from within the casino industry. Casino executives claim that a smoking ban could have a devastating impact on the industry in Nevada.

Executives argue that a smoking ban could drive gamblers to head to neighboring states or tribal casinos, where smoking policies may be more lenient.

However, the Nevada Tobacco Control and Smoke-free Coalition poll suggests that many Nevadans are skeptical of these claims, with fewer than 40 percent believing that a smoking ban would have a negative impact on gaming revenue or lead to widespread job layoffs.

With smoking rates on the decline throughout the US and growing awareness of the health risks associated with secondhand smoke, there is now increasing pressure on policymakers and industry stakeholders to prioritize public health and bring in comprehensive smoking bans in indoor spaces, including casinos.