WPBN: If the proposed legislation is approved in the next legislature session, state-owned casinos in Kansas and Missouri may have “No Smoking” signs around them by 2025.
The organization behind the proposals, C.E.A.S.E. (Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects), intends to keep pushing for legislation that will outlaw the practice in both states.
According to Joe Hafley, the founder of C.E.A.S.E. Kansas and Missouri, “85% of Kansans and Missourians do not smoke.” “American Heart, American Lung, and Americans for Non-Smokers Rights are just a few of the many organizations we support.”
If it were passed next year, the following Kansas casinos would have to prohibit smoking inside:
There are also more casinos in the state that are exempt from these regulations, including as the Native American-owned 7th Street Casino. When they entered or exited the establishment in downtown Kansas City, many patrons were carrying a pack of cigarettes or a lighter.
‘I probably wouldn’t go as much because there’s no kids around and that was the whole reason why banning it in restaurants and stuff cause there were kids around,” Melissa Dancer stated. “This is like the only place we can escape without kids. They should not ban smoking in casinos.”
According to Jeff Morris, vice president of public affairs and government relations, the company that runs the Argosy in Riverside and the Hollywood Casino in KCK, they try to meet the demands of both smoking and non-smoking customers.
According to him, they accomplish this by utilizing cutting-edge ventilation systems, extraordinarily high ceilings, and sufficient segregation between smoking and non-smoking areas.
“The real power at the end of the day on this issue rests with our customers who can vote with their pocketbooks if they feel like we’re not doing a good enough job catering to their needs,” he stated. “It’s a balance and one that we feel the marketplace should determine, particularly in such a competitive environment with other gaming facilities nearby and in neighboring states.”
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On January 8, 2025, legislators from Missouri and Kansas will return to the state capitol for the upcoming legislative session.
According to Hafley, he will be at the Missouri Statehouse for an event on February 3 after attending an advocacy day event at the Kansas Statehouse on January 21.
