Kansas Casinos to Go Smoke-Free if New Bill Passes

Article by : Erik Gibbs Feb 2, 2024

• 
• 

Amid the pandemic several years ago, casinos in the US enforced a temporary ban on indoor smoking. While some establishments adhered to this policy only for the duration of the pandemic, others seized the opportunity to make the ban permanent.

The gaming industry had long cautioned against implementing an indoor smoking ban, anticipating declines in visitation and gaming revenues. However, recent media reports and casino data suggest that these concerns may be unwarranted.

Presently, nearly a dozen states permit smoking inside casinos. Kansas is among these states, and efforts to oppose the elimination of smoking on casino floors persist.

A new proposal was introduced earlier this week in Kansas, seeking to close the existing loophole that allows smoking within casinos statewide. The details of the proposal, House Bill 2622 (HB 2622), were unveiled this week.

The bill’s sponsors include Representatives Owen Donohoe, David Buehler, Sydney Carlin, Ford Carr and Dennis Highberger. On Tuesday, HB2622 was introduced and subsequently referred to the House’s Committee on Health and Human Services. The next step for the proposal involves a hearing scheduled for Wednesday, February 7, 2024.

The recent initiative by state legislators received a favorable response from Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE) Kansas, a group advocating for casino workers opposed to smoking within gaming establishments.

Joe Hafley, the founder of CEASE Kansas and a security employee at Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway, expressed approval for the lawmakers’ efforts.

Cited by KCTV, Hafley underscored the sustained efforts of casino workers in eliminating indoor smoking, highlighting the prolonged exposure to the hazardous conditions of secondhand smoke endured by workers like himself, all in pursuit of a paycheck.

Having actively engaged in the advocacy for change, he expressed the distress of witnessing individuals compelled to tolerate hazardous conditions like secondhand smoke in return for a paycheck.

Emphasizing that the significance of the bill extends beyond the realms of cards, slots and profits, Hafley regarded it as a beacon of hope for hardworking industry personnel, emphasizing the acknowledgment that their health and well-being hold importance.

Hafley concluded by asserting that casino employees shouldn’t face the dilemma of choosing between their livelihood and their health.

In a different state where indoor smoking in casinos is allowed, namely New Jersey, progress is also being made toward implementing a smoking ban.

A proposal seeking to eliminate smoking within casinos has gained approval from the New Jersey Senate Health Committee, although the outcome remains uncertain, considering the bill’s lengthy legislative journey ahead.