The fight to eliminate smoking from Pennsylvania's casinos remains at an impasse.
Members of the Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE) coalition gathered at the Capitol Building in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, earlier this week to pressure lawmakers to pass the Protecting Workers from Secondhand Smoke Act.
State Rep. Dan Frankel introduced House Bill 1657 in September 2023, which passed through the House Health Committee two months later. However, it has seen little movement since. A vote to amend the bill was scheduled for April but was pulled from the agenda to ensure enough votes and has yet to be rescheduled.
The legislation aims to ban indoor smoking, including the use of e-cigarettes in the state’s bars, clubs, and casinos, eliminating loopholes in the Clean Indoor Air Act of 2008 that leave workers exposed to secondhand smoke.
“Legislators have a responsibility to stand with workers, and that means ensuring the safety of everyone in the workplace, starting with eliminating indoor smoking in our casinos,” said Jennifer Rubolino, CEASE co-lead and table games dealer at Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh. “Closing the casino smoking loophole is not just a moral duty but a smart decision for the state, especially considering that 90% of guests do not smoke.”
Now, Pennsylvania casino workers must wait for the legislation process to run its course. It needs to pass both the House and Senate floors before reaching Gov. Josh Shapiro’s desk.
U.S. casinos remain resistant to implementing non-smoking policies. Earlier this week, Caesars Entertainment investors rejected a proposal to study the cost benefits of introducing smoke-free casinos. The company expressed concerns that banning smoking could alienate smoking customers.
