Pennsylvania Bill Banning Smoking in Casinos Wins Initial Approval

Casinos are one of the last bastions of cigarette smokers, but a recent bill to ban the practice in Keystone State gambling dens has won early legislative approval that may pave the way for a smoking ban moving forward.

Snuffing Out Smoking

Workers have been waging war with casino smoking for several years, and while their efforts have made headway, there remain markets in which casino operators are opposed to the ban, citing a drop in foot traffic, yet workers continue the battle.

Two of the battleground markets in which little progress has been made include Las Vegas, Nevada, and Atlantic City, New Jersey. However, progress has been made in other areas of the country, like Connecticut, as the state’s two biggest tribal casinos, Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, both boast 100% smoke-free casinos.

Pennsylvania is also a market rich with its fair share of casinos, and a bill recently sponsored by Representative Dan Frankel, known as the Protecting Workers from Secondhand Smoke Act or House Bill 880, cruised through the state House Health Committee by a vote of 22-4.

“Only 2 in 10 Pennsylvanians smoke at this point — and going out in Pennsylvania shouldn’t feel like taking a time machine to a long-gone era before the science made clear that smoking was deadly,” said State Representative Frankel.

Bipartisan Support and Key Provisions

The bill has gained bipartisan support and would replace the existing 2008 Clean Indoor Air Act to include e-cigarettes and vaping while also eliminating exemptions for casino floors, bus stops, and other designated areas.

Parx Casino in Bucks County went smoke-free during the pandemic and remains that way to this day. However, that is the exception, not the rule, in Pennsylvania, but if this law passes, it would change all of that and create a level, smoke-free playing field for all involved.

“There’s nothing partisan about this,” Frankel said. “Democrats and Republicans agree that a blackjack dealer’s lungs deserve the same protection as an office worker’s.”

The bill has now advanced to the full House for further discussion and debate.

Smoke-Free Study

Casino owners have long believed that eliminating smoking in casinos will drive smoking customers away and into the welcoming arms of a competitor that does allow smoking. However, workers have contended that the smoke causes health issues, and being forced to work in an unhealthy environment is morally reprehensible and legally questionable.

We have seen casino owners try to appease this growing movement by adding ventilation systems that are designed to diminish secondhand smoke and creating smoke-free areas in their casinos. But that is not enough, as most workers are demanding an outright ban.

The drop in foot traffic and revenue has been disputed by a recent report by Las Vegas-based C3 Gaming. The study concludes that non-smoking casinos outperform their smoking competitors.

“Data from multiple jurisdictions clearly indicates 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.”

It should also be noted that as of 2025, 20 US states, plus Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, along with more than 100 tribal casinos, mandate 100% smoke-free commercial casinos.