Non-smoking Casino

[zaah1]

One of the things I enjoy about casino poker is that the vast majority of poker rooms are non-smoking. Unfortunately, we often still have to treck through the smoke filled casino to get the poker room and still end up smelling like cigarrette smoke. I'm suprised none has done this yet, but do you think any of the major Las Vegas casinos would make it if it decided to go completely smoke-free? I just couldn't see a place like the Venetian or Bellagio losing money by banning smoking. Rather, I think it would attract a demographic that is reluctant to enter casinos. Any thoughts?

[LasVegasMichael]

Absolutely not. One casino tried it, and it was boarded up and shut down two years later. It is now a Ross Dress for Less.

You may not be able to "see it" but Venetian and Bellagio would lose a good chunk if they did away with smoking. Research done not more then a few years ago stated that there would be as much as a 1/3 reduction in gaming revenue should a casino go completely non-smoking.

Its Vegas, AKA Sin City. Many people only smoke in Vegas, nowhere else. Smoking, drinking, and gambling go hand in hand here, and thankfully, I don't see that changing any time soon.

[Gonso]

I'm just the opposite. I think the trend is clearly going toward non-smoking, Vegas included - who would have thought years ago most of the poker rooms would be smoke-free now? Out here in AC there's only one smoking poker room left, and city council voted in a casino smoking ban to go into effect as early as April. There's probably a fight coming, but it's inevitable even if it takes a couple tries. For those that aren't aware, NJ's ban had exempted casino floors.

When the NJ ban went into effect, by the way, people were saying that would cripple restaurants and bars, but that hasn't happened. Same thing with the poker rooms, it's business as usual. I think Lee Jones mentioned this in his book about the CA cardrooms.

I think Vegas will take longer to come around, since casinos are relatively more influential with their state government than casinos in other stats. But I wouldn't be surprised to see even Vegas smoke-free before too long, especially if AC does.

[pig4bill]

Doubt it happens in my lifetime, not in Nevada.

[Off Duty]

I don't smoke, live in California, and have zero problem with secondhand smoke.

I used to go out a lot before the smoking ban in bars. Go ahead, call me a degenerate.

[PSW]

WA casinos are smoke free now and I haven't seen a drop in playing, nor heard dealers complain. In fact, the smoking dealers even like the ban.

psw

[ScottHoward]

[ QUOTE ]
WA casinos are smoke free now and I haven't seen a drop in playing, nor heard dealers complain. In fact, the smoking dealers even like the ban.

psw

[/ QUOTE ]
the difference between this and the OP is that he was asking if an individual casino could make it smoke free while the others were allowing smoke. big difference than if smoking were banned in all the casinos in town.

a little off topic, but i quit playing pool because of the smoke. now that the ban has been installed in jersey, im able to play.
as far as the casinos in jersey go, i hope they go through with the floor ban, that would be great.

[aujoz]

Crown Casino, in Melbourne, Australia, is largely non-smoking.

Smoking is only permitted in a few isolated bars near the gaming floor.

[bodie]

I believe that eventually even Las Vegas casinos will be nonsmoking, and that it will not affect gambling at all. Come on, do you really think those who love to gamble are going to give it up if they can't smoke while they're doing it? They'll just smoke somewhere else, like they do now in the California card rooms - which are packed. Many of the smoking players still play with an unlit cigarette in their lips - or they go out frequently to have a smoke - but business definitely hasn't dropped at all.
Personally, I can't wait for the day.

I like the way almost every person who lights up near me in the casino almost immediately lets out a loud, fluidy cough -
I can't help but look at them in amazement: it stinks, their teeth are yellow, they exhale on everyone around them, they get wrinkled skin, and it's killing them with the added possiblity of a delightful death from emphysema or something equivalent.
The last time I was in Vegas (a week ago) there was discussion in the papers. I really feel the casinos have nothing at all to worry about.

[Ace-Ex]

In Colorado, they banned smoking everywhere BUT the casino. And most of the card rooms up here haven't wised up to the non-smoking trend. A couple are pretty good at ventillating it, and/or the smokers just don't play there as much. I refuse to play at one place because so many people are smoking.