Casino Smoking Ban Bill Picks up Speed in Iowa

The debate on smoking while on the casino gaming floor has been ongoing for more than a decade. While since the pandemic, some casinos across the US decided to go from being smoke-free temporarily to banning smoking permanently, casinos in some states are still permitted to offer indoor smoking.

That’s the case for Iowa, a state that passed a smoke-free law nearly two decades ago, in 2008, effectively banning smoking in most public places and indoor areas. However, the smoke-free law provided an exception for the state’s commercial casinos, enabling them to permit smoking on the casino floor.

Bill Seeks to Eliminate Casino Indoor Smoking in Iowa

The smoking ban affects workplaces, including restaurants, bars and other public places and businesses. Besides casinos, exceptions are made for certain areas specifically dedicated to smoking. Usually, such areas are out in the open.

Now, a newly introduced bill seeks to eliminate the exception of casinos, effectively prohibiting smoking on the casino floor in commercial casinos. This is under House Study Bill 148, which was introduced earlier this month in the state’s House. Earlier this week, a subcommittee held a hearing on the bill and recommended it for passage.

Rep. Shannon Lundgren introduced the proposal earlier this month. “An Act relating to the elimination of the exemption of gaming floors from the prohibitions of the Smokefree Air Act,” reads House Study Bill 148. The implementation of the smoke ban in Iowa would be achieved by striking a subsection of the Smokefree Air Act. If subsection 10 of 142D.4, of the Act is removed, a smoking prohibition would apply to commercial casinos.

“This bill eliminates the exception under the smokefree air Act (Act) (Code chapter 142D), allowing smoking on the gaming floors of the premises licensed pursuant to Code chapter 99F (gambling structures, excursion gambling boats, and racetracks). The bill thereby subjects the entirety of these premises to the smoking prohibitions of the Act,“

reads House Study Bill 148

Casino Visitors and Workers Deserve a Healthy Environment, Free of Secondhand Smoke

Casino representatives, non-smokers groups and other stakeholders attended the recent subcommittee hearing on Tuesday. Traci Kennedy, a Midwest states strategist for Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights, who was quoted by Sioux City Journal, said: “Casino workers in Iowa have been fighting for their right to clean air for far too long.”

She explained that approximately 86% of Iowans are nonsmokers, but at the same time, casinos continue to meet the requirements of the other 14%. “Casino workers and patrons deserve to work, dine and game without putting themselves at risk,” Kennedy added.

Speaking about the evolving gambling industry, she explained that Iowa has the opportunity to modernize its smoke-free air law. “The markets have changed. Smoking behaviors have changed. It really warrants our attention to close this loophole,” said Kennedy.

For comparison, commercial casinos in nearby states have already enforced a smoking ban. That’s the case for venues in Nebraska, Minnesota, Illinois, as well as North and South Dakota.

Still, it’s important to note that House Study Bill 148 would only affect commercial casinos. This means that Tribal-owned and operated casinos would not be impacted by the smoking ban that may be introduced, provided that the legislation is greenlighted.