Anti-smoking advocates call on Nevada regulators to ban smoking in casinos

Anti-smoking advocates are urging Nevada gaming regulators to prohibit indoor smoking in casinos, criticizing the industry’s conflicting stance on smoking and responsible gambling. The Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights (ANR) sent an open letter to the Nevada Gaming Commission (NGC) on Thursday, highlighting the health risks associated with indoor smoking and its potential to encourage problem gambling.

The letter, timed to coincide with Responsible Gaming Education Month, took aim at the casino industry for promoting responsible gambling initiatives while continuing to allow smoking on casino floors.

“While we applaud (the gaming industry’s) commitment to responsible gaming, a major blind spot remains because too many casinos continue to allow indoor smoking at their properties,” the letter reads. “Allowing smoking on gaming floors not only poses significant health risks to workers and patrons alike, it also undermines responsible gaming by encouraging addictive behavior as well as prolonged gambling sessions without taking breaks — a fundamental tenet of responsible play.”

The ANR’s plea is backed by research from the National Council on Problem Gaming (NCPG), which has pointed to a direct link between smoking frequency, nicotine dependency, and gambling severity. In a 2022 letter to New Jersey lawmakers, the NCPG stated: “Making casinos smoke-free is likely to reduce the incidence of problem gambling and improve public health.”

The group has been active in advocating for smoke-free casinos in other states, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Kansas. 

In response to the ANR’s letter, Jennifer Togliatti, chair of the Nevada Gaming Commission, noted that policy changes must be discussed in public meetings due to Nevada’s open meeting laws. “As one member of a five-person Commission, I am unable to speak to policy matters on behalf of the Commission,” Togliatti said.

Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nevada, whose district includes the Las Vegas Strip, suggested that state lawmakers in Carson City might take up the issue if it is raised by Culinary Union Local 226, which represents 60,000 casino workers. Although the union supports worker protection policies, it has not fully endorsed a comprehensive ban on smoking in casinos.

Support for a smoking ban appears to be growing in Nevada. A 2023 poll commissioned by the Nevada Tobacco Control and Smoke-free Coalition found that 58% of registered voters favored a total indoor smoking ban in casinos, with 39% opposed. Despite the introduction of the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act in 2006, casinos remain exempt from the law, allowing smoking to persist on gaming floors.

The Park MGM, operated by MGM Resorts International, is currently the only 100% smoke-free casino on the Las Vegas Strip, offering a glimpse into the potential future of casino gaming environments.