Smoke-Free Casinos and the Smoking-Ban Debate
Date: September 9, 2026
From: Stop Smoking Guru
Walk into a bar in most of the US or Europe and you won't smell smoke. Walk onto many casino floors and you will. Casinos are one of the last big indoor spaces where smoking is still widely allowed, and the fight over that exemption has become one of the most closely watched public health debates in the gaming world.
How casinos ended up exempt
When smoke-free laws spread through the 2000s, many lawmakers carved out casinos. The industry argued that smokers made up a large share of their best customers and that bans would push them to competitors across state lines. In Nevada, the 2006 Clean Indoor Air Act, approved by voters, banned smoking in most indoor public places, including restaurants, but left casino gaming areas and stand-alone bars out. New Jersey's 2006 Smoke-Free Air Act did something similar for Atlantic City's casinos.
Where casinos have gone smoke-free
A snapshot of casino smoking rules
- Illinois, Colorado
- State smoke-free laws took in casinos in 2008.
- Delaware
- Casinos covered by the state's smoke-free law since the early 2000s.
- Massachusetts
- Casinos licensed under the state's gaming law have operated smoke-free gaming floors.
- Macau
- Restricted smoking on gaming floors from 2013, banned it on mass gaming floors in 2014 and extended the ban to VIP rooms in 2019, allowing only approved enclosed smoking lounges.
- United Kingdom, Ireland
- Workplace smoking bans from the mid-2000s apply to casinos as well as pubs.
- Las Vegas Strip
- Park MGM became the first fully smoke-free resort casino on the Strip in 2020. Most other Strip casinos still allow smoking on the gaming floor.
- Atlantic City
- Smoking allowed on up to about a quarter of each casino floor; a long-running push by workers to end it continues.
Rules change, and tribal casinos in the US, which operate under tribal sovereignty, set their own policies. Many have gone smoke-free, others haven't. Always check the venue's current policy before you travel.
Atlantic City: the workers' fight
Atlantic City's council voted for a full casino smoking ban in 2008, then postponed it as the financial crisis hit, before it could take effect. Since then, dealers and other casino workers have campaigned to close the loophole, arguing that they shouldn't have to choose between their health and their jobs. Bills to end casino smoking in New Jersey have repeatedly stalled, and a lawsuit brought by workers was dismissed by a state judge in 2024. The issue is still very much alive.
The arguments
| Argument for keeping smoking | Argument for going smoke-free |
|---|---|
| Smokers are an important share of gaming revenue, especially on slot floors. | Reports supported by smoke-free advocates suggest smoke-free casinos can perform as well or better, drawing the large majority of adults who don't smoke. |
| Bans could send customers to nearby states or tribal casinos with no ban. | Revenue drops after past bans, such as in Illinois in 2008, coincided with a deep recession, making the impact hard to isolate. |
| Modern ventilation and smoking sections reduce exposure. | Ventilation engineers' own standards bodies say ventilation can't eliminate the health risks of second-hand smoke. |
| Adults should be free to choose. | Workers have no real choice about breathing the air on their shift. |
The pandemic experiment
When casinos reopened during the COVID-19 pandemic, many went smoke-free for a period, partly because smoking requires removing masks. Some states and casinos later brought smoking back, while others decided to stay smoke-free. Both sides of the debate point to those months as evidence for their case.
What it means for you as an ex-smoker
If you enjoy a casino night, the smoke matters for two reasons. Second-hand smoke is harmful (see second-hand smoke), and the smell is a powerful trigger, especially in your first months smoke-free. Choosing a smoke-free casino, or a non-smoking section well away from the smoking area, makes a real difference. Our practical guides cover staying smoke-free on a Las Vegas trip and handling casino and bar triggers. And if you'd rather skip the smoky floor entirely, read about playing from home.