In order to attract the younger adult demographics to casinos, Smokefree Casinos is suggesting that gaming operators completely ban smoking. In a statement released at the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas, Nevada, the initiative by the American Nonsmokers’ Rights (ANR) Foundation said this is the new direction casinos should be going in.
“Millennials favor doing business with values-driven companies,” said ANR Foundation president and CEO Cynthia Hallett. “These trends can also impact a casino’s ability to attract future customers and be an employer of choice for a large and diverse workforce,” she said.
Apart from attracting millennials to casinos, a smoking ban would also benefit older customers, Smokefree Casinos’ report claims. Already 92% of Americans who are 65 years and older don’t smoke, a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
The move towards smoke-free casinos is already gaining traction. Some 20 states, along with several cities and sovereign tribal nations, have bans prohibiting indoor smoking.
A Smoke-Free Environment is More than Just Public Health
Hallett says that casinos adopting smoke-free environments show two things: good customer service and a willingness to be socially responsible. “Creating a smoke-free environment is no longer just a public health issue; it’s a business imperative,” president of Smokefree Casinos said. “In the past, casinos and other entertainment venues got a pass as people just accepted that they had to put up with second-hand smoke in that environment, but no more. Today we have nearly 800 smoke-free casinos and other gambling venues in the United States. We still have a long way to go, but we are making progress.”
Smokefree Casinos Leading Smoking Ban at Casinos Initiatives
Smokefree Casinos led a Business Roundtable agreement where more than 180 corporate CEO signed onto the initiative. However, none of the signees represented gaming and casino operators.
Along with the statement release at G2E, they also released a list of casinos across the country that have an indoor smoking ban. There’s only one company that’s completely smoke-free – Gaming and Leisure Properties. It operates and owns Hollywood Casinos in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Perryville, Maryland.
On the other hand, none of Landry’s five Golden Nugget casinos ban smoking. While just six of 39 Caesars Entertainment properties prohibit smoking.
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