Kansas Comes a Step Closer to Ending Smoking Casino Exemption

By Jerry Smith Staff Writer Updated: 04/19/2023

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Jerry’s greatest advantage is his extensive experience on the casino floor. His time as a casino manager taught him everything about what makes a player tick. Besides being a skilled poker player, he has deep knowledge of all live table games and gambling regulations in the US.

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KA Smoking Ban

According to recent reports, Kansas has come a step closer to ending its casino exemption when it comes to smoking indoors.

The issue of smoking inside casinos has caused a lot of controversy in Kansas as well as in other states across the nation. This issue has become particularly prevalent since the onset of the global pandemic when casinos banned smoking indoors to help reduce the risk of spreading the virus.

The state banned smoking in indoor venues over a decade ago, but there were exemptions when it came to casinos in Dodge City, Kansas City, and Mulvane.

In the casino venues, visitors have been able to smoke on the gaming floor, although smoking in dining areas and bars is not allowed. The Senate has now passed an amended bill that would see smoking banned altogether in Kansas casinos.

It was confirmed that the bill would also mean that the exemption in the Kansas Indoor Clean Air Act would also be removed for gaming areas at lottery and racetrack facilities.

Arguments on Both Sides

As with many other states, there are arguments both for and against indoor smoking on casino floors in Kansas. Some are concerned about the impact on health, while others are concerned about the impact on revenue.

Those who support ending the exemption for casinos and gaming facilities have expressed concerns over the impact of second-hand smoke on non-smoking gamers as well as the employees who have to work inside the casino.

However, casino executives have argued that banning smoking on the gaming floor could have a huge impact on visitor numbers, as many people come to casinos so that they can play games and enjoy smoking while doing so.

Richard Klemp, a spokesperson for the Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane, said:

Allowing smoking on the casino floor is a material factor in revenue performance to the Kansas Lottery, who owns and operates all of the gambling games at the Kansas Star.

At present, House Bill 2058 needs to be agreed upon by the House of Representatives, after which it will go to the state governor, Laura Kelly.

The Impact of the Pandemic

One of the things that has brought indoor smoking at casinos to the forefront of many agendas is the global pandemic. While casinos across the country had to close completely for a period during the height of the pandemic in early 2020, they were allowed to reopen in the run-up to summer with various restrictions in place.

These restrictions were designed to reduce the risk of the virus spreading and included measures such as a strict limitation on capacity as well as the wearing of masks inside the facilities. This meant that there was no smoking inside the casinos, which to many showed that it can be done.

However, those against the lifting of the exemption would argue that operations during 2020 and 2021 were very different from normal due to the restrictions in place. Now that casinos are back to normal, casino visitors want to be able to enjoy smoking indoors if they wish to.