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Two advocacy groups have teamed up to lobby Pennsylvania lawmakers to close a loophole that permits smoking in casinos.
A bill that would eliminate smoking in casinos is in the pipeline at the statehouse in Harrisburg.
The Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights (ANR) and the Center for Black Health and Equity (CBHE) shared the masthead on a letter sent to the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus this week.
The correspondence contends that black and female employees are at heightened risk from secondhand smoke.
Bill would close loophole that allows smoking in casinos
According to the lobby groups, female and black workers make up a significant portion of the workforce in PA casinos. A diversity report from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board issued earlier this year said more than 6,600 casino workers in the Keystone State are female, and 15% of the roughly 16,000 statewide casinos workers are black.
The ANR and CBHE point out that women and black employees are endangered by secondhand smoke. It is identified as a “risk factor for chronic illness and even death.”
Pennsylvania’s Clean Indoor Air Act, passed in 2008, banned smoking in most public places. But, according to a memo from State Rep. Dan Frankel, that legislation “included a long list of loopholes that allow places like casinos, hotels, and some bars to continue to expose their employees to toxic smoke to this day.”
Frankel, a Democrat representing District 23, is listed as the prime sponsor of House Bill 880. The measure would close those loopholes and ban smoking in casinos across Pennsylvania.
Smoking bans may actually increase revenue for casinos
The ANR and CBHE say secondhand smoke in casinos is far more than a nuisance.
“Smoke-filled casinos have been shown to have some of the highest concentrations of toxic indoor air.”
Workers spend more time in smoke-filled casinos than anyone, they contend. And the risks to vulnerable groups is at the heart of their effort by to remove the loophole.
Many states have banned smoking in casinos and seen no measurable impact on revenue, according to the ANR. At least 20 states have enacted full bans on smoking at casinos.
Earlier this year, after conducting a study on revenue in casinos where smoking bans have been implemented, Spectrum Gaming concluded that bans may not be as impactful as first thought.
In 2022, C3 Gaming issued a report which concluded that “banning smoking no longer causes a dramatic drop in gaming revenue.”
“In fact, non-smoking properties appear to be performing better than their counterparts that continue to allow smoking.”
