In Iowa, health advocates are working to change the state’s 2008 law that exempts casinos from a ban on smoking in public places. Some venues, including the state’s tribal casinos, temporarily have banned indoor smoking in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. But several groups are seeking to permanently end smoking in casinos, citing health risks to guests and employees.
Stacy Frelund, Iowa government relations director at the American Heart Association, said, “We have had casino workers in the past reach out to our coalition about having to be exposed to secondhand smoke. In this time that we’re in right now, it only makes sense to protect the health of all of our workers throughout the state.” Frelund said her group is in talks with lawmakers to get a bill introduced this session to amend the law.
She noted in the past, state-licensed casinos have said banning smoking would make it harder to compete with casinos across the state border that allow smoking. However, Frelund said in order to stay relevant, casinos need to cater to a customer base that could keep remain loyal in the long run. “A lot of your younger population are accustomed to having smoke-free places,” Frelund stated.
