New Bill Aims to Stop Smoking in PA Casinos

By Jerry Smith Staff Writer Updated: 09/27/2023

Jerry Smith Staff Writer See Full Bio

Jerry’s greatest advantage is his extensive experience on the casino floor. His time as a casino manager taught him everything about what makes a player tick. Besides being a skilled poker player, he has deep knowledge of all live table games and gambling regulations in the US.

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New Bill Aims to Stop Smoking

A bill has been submitted to the Pennsylvania Assembly with the aim of getting smoking banned inside casinos in Pennsylvania.

The bill, HB 1657, was submitted by Rep. Dan Frankel, and it will be welcomed by anti-smoking advocates as well as gamblers who prefer to enjoy entertainment in a smoke-free environment. However, there will also be plenty who are opposed to the bill, including casino officials.

While banning smoking inside the casinos would clearly be good news from a health point of view, many casino officials are concerned that it could lead to more people avoiding casinos because they can no longer smoke and play at the same time.

In addition, many people who enjoy being able to smoke at the machines and tables will be disappointed if the bill goes through.

Advocates Join the Fight to Ban Smoking

According to recent reports, anti-smoking advocates are supporting the new bill wholeheartedly, and this includes the Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights (ANR) group. The group provides education and raises awareness of the dangers of smoking and second-hand smoke, and has already spoken about its support for the bill.

The ANR website states that customers are happier, and employees are healthier when smoking is banned inside casinos. It read:

The data shows that casinos without indoor smoking not only protect health, they also perform better because they appeal to the vast majority of guests who prefer a smoke-free environment…and we encourage the Keystone State to swiftly pass HB 1657.

Many studies have been carried out into the risks associated with casino smoke, and these are risks not only to the smoker but to other patrons and employees. The American Cancer Society said that anyone who goes into a casino is at risk from smoke, whether or not they actually light up themselves.

The Society noted that employees were at increased risk of getting lung cancer as a result of this and that nicotine levels in casinos are higher than in offices, homes, and restaurants.

The American Cancer Society also claimed that levels of smoke particles inside casinos are twelve times higher than outside and that customers who visit casinos have ‘significantly elevated levels of cancer-causing agents in their lungs’ after being in a casino for just four hours.

CDC Supports Indoor Smoking Bans

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has also been pushing for smoking bans indoors following a study relating to second-hand smoke.

In a report, the CDC said that tens of thousands of employees along with millions of visitors were being exposed to secondhand smoke in casinos every year in Las Vegas. The report went on to state that the only solution to this problem was to ban indoor smoking.

According to the CDC, smoking levels in the United States are now at an all-time low, with just one in nine people lighting up. However, for some gamblers, smoking and gambling go hand-in-hand, and it is something they have become accustomed to over the years. A ban could prove difficult to cope with for these people.