Casino Industry Folding to Smoking Ban

The casino industry's primary lobbying organization is backing off as a wave of states pass indoor smoking prohibitions that include casinos. (Courtesy dopesmugler@flickr.com)

The Las Vegas Sun reports that the American Gaming Association plans to limit its opposition to indoor smoking bans in light of the increasing number of U.S. states instituting such laws. After years of actively opposing casino smoking bans, the casino industry's primary lobbying organization is caving under a wave of indoor smoking prohibitions that include casinos.

Since the mid-1990s, the American Gaming Association has pushed for national building code standards accommodating tobacco smoke, arguing that prohibiting smoking would be bad for business. But fighting smoking bans "is an uphill battle," said executive director of AGA Judy Patterson.

Calling such opposition "an uphill battle," Pattersonsaid the lobbying organization will back off its fight against such health-conscious efforts.

"All the momentum is with the health groups," she said. "This became one of those issues that could not be handled industry-wide."

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