Effective August 1, Ho-Chunk Gaming-Madison will become the first casino in Wisconsin to offer a smoke-free gaming facility. Executive Manager Daniel Brown said the decision was based on the results of a smoking survey conducted among guests since last November.
A separate smoking area will be available apart from the current facility to prevent smoke from permeating into the building. “We still believe in providing areas to accommodate all of our guests, but, want to assure the existing building will be 100 percent smoke-free. We’re excited to offer our guests and employees a completely smoke-free environment,” Brown said. Electronic cigarettes will be allowed.
The Wisconsin Statewide Smoke-Free Air Law went into effect in July, 2010 requiring restaurants, bars and entertainment venues to be smoke-free. But as a sovereign nation, the Ho-Chunk Nation elected to make the transition to a smoke-free environment in its own way and on its own schedule. Stated Brown, “We believe that we are among the first business which is choosing to do this on our own, rather than being publicly mandated to do so.”
