Kansas and Missouri lawmakers introduce bills to ban smoking in state-owned casinos

Lawmakers in Kansas and Missouri are pushing for legislation to ban smoking in state-owned casinos starting in 2025, citing public health concerns and the growing momentum of smoke-free workplace policies. 

The proposed measures, backed by advocacy group Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE), would exempt tribal casinos, including Kansas City’s 7th Street Casino, due to their sovereign governance.  

“85% of Kansans and Missourians do not smoke,” said C.E.A.S.E. Kansas and Missouri Founder Joe Hafley, as reported by KCTV. “We have lots and lots of support from different groups, American Heart, American Lung, Americans for Non-Smokers Rights.”

The proposed ban has drawn mixed reactions from casino patrons. Opponents argue that casinos are adult-only spaces, and smoking bans could deter customers. Others welcome the change, having expressed worry about secondhand smoke.
 
Casino operators have expressed reservations about the potential impact of a smoking ban. Jeff Morris, Vice President of Public Affairs at Penn Entertainment, which operates Hollywood Casino and Argosy Casino in Missouri, emphasized the company’s significant investments in air filtration systems and separate smoking areas.  

“The real power at the end of the day on this issue rests with our customers who can vote with their pocketbooks if they feel like we’re not doing a good enough job catering to their needs,” he said. “It’s a balance and one that we feel the marketplace should determine, particularly in such a competitive environment with other gaming facilities nearby and in neighboring states.”

The Missouri legislature will reconvene on January 8, 2025, with Kansas lawmakers returning on January 13. CEASE has planned advocacy days on January 21 in Kansas and February 3 in Missouri to lobby for the bills’ passage.  

Hafley, who has long campaigned for the ban, highlighted the personal toll of secondhand smoke on casino workers. “They get it on their clothes and bring it home to their families and children,” he said. “It’d be nice to not have to take a shower right after work just to get the smoke off.”  

The push for smoke-free casinos mirrors a national trend. In New Jersey, casino workers in Atlantic City recently protested to end smoking exemptions, demanding action from Governor Phil Murphy. Similar efforts in Kansas and Missouri could add momentum to the growing movement to protect casino workers from secondhand smoke exposure.