Date: October 4, 2024, 12:16h.
Last updated on: October 4, 2024, 12:16h.
A casino in West Virginia, located in a county where tobacco smoking indoors is generally not allowed, is seeking an exemption.
Officials at Mardi Gras Casino & Resort have requested permission from the Kanawha-Charleston Board of Health to allow smoking and vaping in their facility, which features over 700 slot machines, 35 table games, and a sportsbook.
In West Virginia, counties have the authority to decide on indoor smoking regulations for public buildings. Kanawha County implemented a Clean Indoor Air Regulation in 2008, prohibiting indoor tobacco use in most places.
Certain exemptions are included in the 2008 law, such as bars that derive 80% of their revenue from alcohol sales, private residences not used for specific purposes, and enclosed retail tobacco businesses with ventilation systems.
Previously, casinos in Kanawha County were exempt from the smoking ban, but that changed in 2008, leading Mardi Gras and other gaming facilities to become smoke-free.
Smoking Request
Mardi Gras Casino & Resort, owned by Delaware North, has proposed a plan to create a separate, enclosed smoking area with advanced ventilation to cater to both smokers and non-smokers.
Delaware North’s representatives believe that this initiative will help Mardi Gras stay competitive and keep business within West Virginia, as some customers travel to neighboring states for smoking-friendly casinos.
Glen White, Corporate Communications Director at Delaware North, stated, “Our proposal outlines the creation of a separate space that ensures the comfort and safety of both smokers and non-smokers.”
The health board did not make a decision during the recent meeting, and the issue will be revisited in November.
If approved by the health agency, the Kanawha County Commission will have the final say on the smoking exemption for the casino.
Casino Needs Spark
Mardi Gras is the lowest-grossing racino among West Virginia’s four gaming establishments, with its competitors allowing indoor smoking.
Hollywood Casino, the top revenue generator in the state, earned nearly $350 million in gross gaming revenue last year, while Mardi Gras recorded approximately $60 million.
West Virginia has the highest smoking rate in the country, with 21% of adults in the state smoking compared to the national average of 14%, according to the CDC.
The CDC recommends a 100% smoke-free policy to protect casino employees and patrons from secondhand smoke, as even designated smoking areas within supposedly smoke-free spaces have been found to contain harmful levels of secondhand smoke.