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Smoke-free casino bill on tap

Denver lawmakers to propose lifting gaming exemption

Joanne Kelley, Rocky Mountain News

Published January 13, 2007 at midnight

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Two state lawmakers have agreed to sponsor legislation that would ban smoking inside Colorado's mountain casinos.

Rep. Anne McGihon and Sen. Ken Gordon, both Denver Democrats, will introduce a bill that would add casinos to the long list of workplaces where smoking has been prohibited since July.

The Colorado legislature last year approved a smoking ban for bars, restaurants, offices and most workplaces, but it exempted casinos

"There's no principle upon which you can give them an exemption," said Gordon, who last year voted against excluding casinos from the ban.

"They don't deserve one," he said.

An advocacy group for casino employees and patrons has been lobbying for the smoking prohibition to be extended to casinos.

"The health of the casino employees is our first and foremost concern," said Stephanie Steinberg, chairwoman of Smoke- Free Gaming of Colorado.

While some individual gaming establishments had lobbyists who persuaded lawmakers to excluded casinos from the ban, the industry's trade association stayed silent on the issue.

"We couldn't reach a consensus to support or oppose an exemption," said Lois Rice, executive director of the Colorado Gaming Association.

Rice said casinos have been divided on whether a ban would have a lasting impact on business.

Gordon maintained that casinos "would end up with more business" if no smoking were allowed inside.

"I don't think it would hurt," he said.

McGihon could not immediately be reached for comment.

The issue

• Casinos won an exemption from a statewide smoking ban that took effect July 1. Now, two lawmakers are preparing a bill that would do away with the exemption for casinos. "They don't deserve one," said Sen. Ken Gordon, who will team up with Rep. Anne McGihon to push for the change. The Colorado legislature passed a law last year that prohibits smoking in bars, restaurants, offices and other workplaces.

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