Any casino operator weighing whether to ban smoking in their casino knows two things for certain: Some longtime regulars who are smokers will reduce or even eliminate the number of visits, and some gamblers who despise cigarette smoke will increase their number of visits.
But the ultimate question — will that casino wind up with a net gain or loss of revenue from the change in policy? — remains a topic of debate.
Still, the momentum seems to be toward banning smoking in casinos — spurred by temporary bans during the COVID-19 pandemic that proved to be more popular than expected, and with more and more casinos in the U.S. taking the plunge even without bans imposed by state legislatures.
