Iowa Bill Banning Smoking in Casinos Is One Step Closer to Full Acceptance

The Iowa House Commerce Committee passed a bill that could ban indoor smoking in casinos and there is currently hot debate for and against it.

Bill One Step Closer to Full Passing

Labeled as Bill HSB148, the new proposition aims to ban smoking in casinos in Iowa. The bill passed out of the Iowa House Commerce Committee on Tuesday. If it passes the next steps, it will force casinos to adhere to the Smokefree Air Act if it is fully accepted in the future. The Smokefree Air Act safeguards employees and patrons from secondhand smoke. However, it does not apply to casinos, which are currently exempt from this regulation.

The bill was introduced by Rep. Shannon Lundgren, a Republican, whose family opened a restaurant in Peosta in 2007, just one year before Iowa’s smoke-free air law was passed.

Proponents of the bill argue that every worker is entitled to a smoke-free workplace. Many are urging lawmakers to pass the bill to safeguard workers’ health and safety while promoting responsible gaming. Meanwhile, opponents claim that the bill could negatively impact businesses and lead to a decline in gaming revenue. However, the bill will now proceed to the next stage of debate.

What Do Both Sides Say?

The bill has stirred up some controversy and discussion with both those who support and oppose it laying out arguments for and against it. For example, Traci Kennedy, Midwest states strategist for Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights, explained that while 86% of Iowans are nonsmokers, casinos continue to serve the remaining 14%. According to her, casino workers and guests deserve to work, dine, and play without exposing themselves to unnecessary risks.

She also explained that the concerns of opponents of the bill, who say that if it passes it would negatively impact patronage, are unfounded. Kennedy gave an example of Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North and South Dakota, and Nebraska, which all have smoke-free commercial casinos. According to her, those markets are doing well with their clean air laws.

Jackie Cale, a lobbyist for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), stated that tobacco use and exposure are the leading preventable causes of cancer and are responsible for about one-fourth of cancer-related deaths in the state. She emphasized that tobacco control must be part of the solution to bring down cancer rates if the state is serious about addressing the issue. Cale also highlighted that casino workers face a 20% higher risk of lung cancer due to exposure to second-hand smoke.

Meanwhile, Mary Earnhardt, president and CEO of the Iowa Gaming Association, argued that a smoking ban would “substantially reduce” the estimated $1 billion annual economic impact of Iowa’s 19 state-licensed commercial casinos. This includes employee salaries, purchasing Iowa-based products and services, charitable donations, and state and local tax revenue. She referenced studies from Delaware, Illinois, and Colorado, which indicated that casino revenues in those states dropped between 9% and 22%.