PA Lawmaker Pushes for Smoke-Free Casinos to Protect Workers

Pennsylvania Representative Dan Frankel remains committed to eliminating smoking inside the state’s casinos, advocating for the health and well-being of employees. 

His efforts have gained traction with support from Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights (ANR) and casino workers across Pennsylvania.

Trying to “Smooth the Path of the Bill” 

Frankel originally introduced the Protecting Workers from Secondhand Smoke Act, which was successfully advanced through the House Committee in November 2023. 

However, despite being scheduled for amendments in April, the bill was unexpectedly withdrawn and saw no further progress for the remainder of the year.

Determined to push forward, Frankel issued a memo on February 27 outlining his strategy to reintroduce a similar measure in the upcoming 2025-26 legislative session. 

His office confirmed to PlayPennsylvania that he is “currently meeting with stakeholders in an effort to smooth the path of the bill when it is introduced.” 

The statement also emphasized his urgency, describing him as “anxious to get it out as soon as possible.”

An Attempt to Close the “Deadly Loophole” 

Public health advocates and casino employees are rallying behind Frankel, urging other legislators to co-sponsor the bill. 

Pennsylvania’s Clean Indoor Air Act of 2008 banned smoking in most indoor spaces but notably exempted casinos, leaving workers vulnerable to secondhand smoke exposure. 

Frankel’s mission is to close this gap.

Jennifer Rubolino, a Pittsburgh-based table games dealer and co-leader of Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE) PA, has been vocal about the risks she and her colleagues face daily. She expressed her concerns in a recent statement:

“I’ve spent years breathing in secondhand smoke at work. I love my job, but I hate the fact that it’s making me sick. The science is clear: secondhand smoke is deadly,” she bluntly stated. 

“Pennsylvania lawmakers have a chance to finally protect workers like me and close this deadly loophole for good. It’s time for legislators to step up to protect our health. Every day that goes by, my anxiety worsens that my good-paying job is cutting my life short,” Rubolino added. 

ANR CEO: “Piecemeal Fixes Fall Short of Ensuring Safety”

ANR has been actively supporting smoke-free initiatives across the country and is strongly advocating for change in Pennsylvania. 

Chief executive officer Cynthia Hallett highlighted the dangers of secondhand smoke and called on lawmakers to take action:

“In Pennsylvania, more than 22,000 people die each year from smoking-related illnesses, and secondhand smoke exposure remains a serious workplace hazard,” she explained. 

Further, the CEO argued that studies have proven that hospitality workers, including “those in casinos, bars, and clubs,” display “some of the highest levels of secondhand smoke exposure of any occupation.”

“Piecemeal fixes fall short of ensuring safety for all. This is an opportunity for Pennsylvania to join the swaths of states that already protect their workers’ health and create safer, smokefree environments for everyone,” Hallett added. 

ANR and CEASE have been equally active in neighboring New Jersey, where smoking remains legal inside Atlantic City casinos.

Parx Casino: A Model for Success

Frankel has pointed to Parx Casino as an example of how a smoke-free policy can benefit business and employee well-being. 

Since voluntarily implementing a non-smoking policy after pandemic restrictions were lifted in 2022, Parx has maintained the same standard at its Shippensburg location.

Despite concerns that banning smoking could hurt revenue, Parx Casino led all Pennsylvania casinos in 2024 with $569.8 million in slots and table game revenue. 

Frankel referenced comments from Parx chief operating officer Marc Oppenheimer, who told PlayPennsylvania during the Shippensburg opening in February 2023: “We’ve seen two things from it. No. 1, it has not hurt us business and revenue wise at all, and No. 2, our employees are very, very happy to not be working in an environment with secondhand smoke all the time.”

Oppenheimer also highlighted a drop in employee healthcare costs and turnover, along with increased morale among staff.

No specific timeline has been given for the reintroduction of the bill.