Members of a smoke-free coalition and others gathered at the steps of the state capitol to pressure lawmakers to adopt a bill banning smoking in all Pennsylvania casinos.
Let’s take a closer look at the workers’ demands and how the conflict might impact top-rated sportsbooks in the region.
Anti-Smoking Advocates Won’t CEASE
The Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE) coalition took to the streets outside the Capitol Building in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to bring light to what they consider to be a health hazard for their fellow members who are subjected to second-hand smoke on casino floors in the Keystone State. The group was joined by the United Auto Workers Union Region 9 along with long-time anti-smoking advocate, Representative Dan Frankel.
All were unified in supporting Representative Frankel’s House Bill 1657, also known as the Protecting Workers from Secondhand Smoke Act, which he sponsored in September 2023. Frankel’s bill would close loopholes in the Clean Indoor Air Act of 2008 that are exploited by casinos to allow smoking on their casino floors. The bill passed the House Health Committee two months later but has been stalled ever since.
Clearing the Air
“Legislators have a responsibility to stand with workers, and that means ensuring the safety of everyone in the workplace, starting with eliminating indoor smoking in our casinos,” said Jennifer Rubolino, a table games dealer at Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh and a member of Pennsylvania’s CEASE.
“Closing the casino smoking loophole is not just a moral duty but a smart decision for the state, especially considering that 90% of guests do not smoke. We’ve seen the success of smoke-free casinos in this state, like Parx Casino, which has voluntarily operated smoke-free. How do you put a price on the health of employees? We urge legislators to pass comprehensive smoke-free laws to ensure that no one has to sacrifice their health for a paycheck,” added Rubolino.
The bill would have to pass both the House and Senate before it would reach Governor Josh Shapiro’s desk for his signature. How likely that is remains unclear at this point.
Praise for Parx
Parx Casino in Bensalem, Pennsylvania has been the only casino in the state to maintain a smoke-free casino environment since the smoking restriction was lifted once the COVID pandemic began to thaw. Parx is the state’s top revenue-producing casino in the state and has boasted of receiving a 40% rebate on its employee’s health insurance policies due to the smoking ban at its casino.
Cynthia Hallett, president, and CEO of Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights, praised Parx for their bold stance, writing, “We applaud Parx for remaining smoke-free and protecting their workers and guests from the indisputable dangers of even brief exposure to secondhand smoke. This decision reflects the fact that guests overwhelmingly prefer smoke-free casino environments.
Up in Smoke
“The significant backlash to the return of smoking at Pennsylvania and New Jersey casinos in recent weeks, from guests and employees forced to breathe in smoke for hours on end, should prompt all gaming executives to adopt a smoke-free policy. In the wake of a global pandemic, now is the time to finally make the switch to permanently smoke-free indoor air.”
Despite other casinos’ attempts to appease the anti-smoking bloc, it hasn’t worked, even when the casinos reduce the smoking section to just 25% of the casino floor. Hallett said the damage is already done regardless of how small the smoking section or how large are the air-filtration systems.
“Smoke from one section invariably wafts into adjacent sections and even the most sophisticated fans and air filtration systems can’t stop it. It only takes one smoker to affect the hearts and lungs of everyone in the room, on the airplane, in the casino, in the nightclub….,” wrote Hallett.
