Starting November 6, patrons of the Venetian and Palazzo casinos were allowed to resume smoking at table games, according to an internal memo reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
The policy change will “permit the smoking of cigarettes, cigars and vapes at all table games on the casino floors at The Venetian and the Palazzo,” the memo said, but the “use or visibility of marijuana products continues to be strictly prohibited.”
Smoke-free tables will be available to those who request one, the company said.
“For all guests who wish to have a smoke-free experience, a non-smoking table can be requested,” the memo said, as reported by the Review-Journal. “All requests must be brought to the attention of a table games supervisor or above.”
A company spokesperson told the newspaper that the policy update brings the casinos more in line with similar programs at Wynn and Encore Las Vegas, and the circulated memo asserted that management is “always reviewing and improving our internal policies to remain competitive and strategic in our business decisions.”
Anti-smoking advocates have come out against the change, arguing that any secondhand smoke on a gaming floor is detrimental to the health of patrons and employees, regardless of whether a small number of tables are designated as non-smoking.
“The notion of a partial smoking policy in casinos is a failed attempt to address the serious health concerns of casino workers,” Cynthia Hallett, president and CEO of Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights, told the Review-Journal.
“Secondhand smoke respects no boundaries, and allowing smoking in designated areas cannot cloak the pervasive risks it poses,” she continued, per the Review-Journal. “It’s also troubling that under Wynn’s policy, table game dealers must rely on the awareness of patrons regarding this unadvertised rule and hope that they opt for a smoke-free gaming experience.”
As of now, the Park MGM is the only smoke-free property on the Strip, and the Plaza downtown recently opened a smoke-free gaming free that is separate from the main casino and has its own entrance.
Casino workers in New Jersey and Pennsylvania are also pushing hard for smoking bans in their respective states, and hope to introduce legislation in the coming year.
