Most Nevada casino workers support bans on smoking in casinos, which puts them at odds with their employers.
Indoor smoking has been banned in almost all parts of the United States, except in Las Vegas casinos and a few other places. You can’t smoke in bars, restaurants, or in most hotel rooms, but the vast majority of tourist casinos on the Las Vegas Strip not only don’t prohibit smoking, many don’t even have non-smoking sections.
And while smoking rules have been tightened at casinos on the Las Vegas Strip, all major players, including Caesars Entertainment, (CZR) – Get a free reportMGM Resorts International (MGM) – Get a free reportand Wynn Resorts (WYNN) – Get a free report it did not go so far as to prohibit it. Now, only MGM’s Park MGM has a no-smoking policy, making it the only casino on the Strip to completely ban the practice.
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Arguably, MGM’s decision is more about marketing than health. Having the only non-smoking casino is a selling point and perhaps that’s part of the reason Park MGM decided to change their smoking policies when they reopened after their covid closure.
“As we look toward our reopening,” Park MGM COO Anton Nikodemus said in a statement“We identified an opportunity to respond to recurring guest demand for a smoke-free casino resort on The Strip.”
No other MGM properties have followed, and Caesars has a blanket policy for all of its Las Vegas Strip properties.
“Smoking is permitted in the casino as well as in the smoking-optional hotel rooms. Smoking is prohibited in non-gaming areas of all Nevada casinos, including restaurants and restrooms,” the company shared on its website.
Casino operators want to keep the smoking rules as they are so they don’t force players to go smoke somewhere else. You do not have to leave the casino floor to drink and having to walk outside or to a designated smoking area can limit the number of people who gamble.
It’s not a health option, it’s an income option, but most Las Vegas casino workers disagree with their bosses.
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Las Vegas Strip worker wants a smoking ban
While Atlantic City workers have led the cause of the city’s casino smoking ban, Las Vegas casino workers have been more restrained, but most of them support a casino smoking ban in the city.
Ted Pappageorge, secretary-treasurer of Culinary Local 226, told the Las Vegas Review Magazine that “while about 90% of its members are non-smokers, only 61% support a ban in casinos, according to member surveys conducted in 2022.”
“But 40% don’t. It’s really not overwhelming among our members,” Pappageorge said.
That’s an interesting take on the numbers given that the 61% of workers who take a position they know their employer disagrees with seems like a pretty solid majority.
Pappageorge disagrees, though he acknowledges that his membership seems to be moving in that direction.
“We are going to represent our members and what our members want. That number is moving, from our members supporting a ban, but even among members it’s still not overwhelming support,” he told the newspaper.
Smoking bans are bad for casino business
While a smoke-free casino could work well as an alternative to any other casino on the Las Vegas Strip, efforts to ban smoking in casinos, not only in Las Vegas but also at Royal Caribbean Group (RCL) – Get a free report the cruises have failed.
“It’s a little confusing,” Royal Caribbean President Michael Bayley said during a question-and-answer session about Ovation of the Seas during the president’s cruise, the Royal Caribbean Blog informed.
“The dilemma is that there are a lot of people who do want to smoke in the casino. I know it’s not a popular answer, but it’s the truth. I’m not judging anyone or anything, but there is a large group of people who do.” smoking in the casino,” she said.
The Celebrity brand of Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line (CCL) – Get a free report The Holland America line, which caters to high-end clients, has banned smoking in its casino. When Royal Caribbean has tried doing the same, the numbers have not been good.
“Every, I would say, every couple of years, we try this and we take one or two or three boats and we ban smoking in the casino. And the result is fewer people coming into the casino and that’s the reality,” Bayley explained.
That mirrors other short-term tests in Las Vegas to limit or ban smoking.
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