My First-Hand Account Of Second-Hand Smoke At Pennsylvania Casinos

Regardless of passing the Clear Indoor Air Act of 2008, Pennsylvania casinos fall below a loophole the place smoking is permitted indoors. The motion to shut the loophole and ban smoking has picked up momentum.

As a local of Philadelphia, I’ve been to Parx On line casino Bensalem, the one institution within the state to voluntarily ban smoking, a number of occasions. Earlier this week, I traveled to Rivers On line casino Philadelphia and Stay! On line casino Philadelphia to watch the gaming expertise from a on line casino that enables smoking.

Observations from Pennsylvania casinos that enable smoking

I visited Rivers On line casino Philadelphia and Stay! On line casino Philadelphia on a wet Thursday morning. Coming from Northeast Philadelphia, I trekked down I-95 and stopped at Rivers On line casino Philadelphia first.

The on line casino appeared much less busy in comparison with Stay! On line casino Philadelphia. I entered via doorways that led to the middle of the on line casino, which is a non-smoking space. The scent wasn’t too unhealthy in any respect after I walked in. Nonetheless, as I bought nearer to the smoking part, the scent of smoke bought stronger and stronger.

I noticed 4 individuals smoking within the half-hour I spent at Rivers On line casino Philadelphia. The on line casino’s smoking space will not be essentially one part. There might be a row of video games which might be labeled as smoking, one other that’s non-smoking, and one other that’s smoking. So the realm that’s non-smoking is within the crossfire of the scent from the smoking part.

Stay! On line casino Philadelphia’s smoking space, however, is definitely one pocket of the ability. Once I stepped as far-off as potential from the smoking part, the smoke scent was nearly nonexistent. The scent was additionally very, very faint when getting into the on line casino from the tenth Road entrance.

The nearer I bought to the smoking part, the more severe the scent bought. I noticed three individuals smoking in my half-hour contained in the on line casino.

My experiences at non-smoking Parx On line casino Bensalem

There had been a time through the top of the COVID-19 pandemic when all Pennsylvania casinos banned smoking due to masks mandates. Casinos regularly introduced again smoking as mandates loosened through the years. Rivers On line casino Philadelphia reinstated smoking in October of final 12 months.

Parx On line casino Bensalem is the one facility that voluntarily banned smoking, even after the state lifted masks mandates. Parx opened one other facility earlier this 12 months, which can also be non-smoking.

I’m not a lot of a slots or desk video games participant, however I do love watching a sport from the sportsbook. Rivers On line casino Philadelphia’s sportsbook is within the neighborhood of the smoking part, and the scent is well detectable. Stay! On line casino Philadelphia’s sportsbook is additional away and the scent is no less than tolerable.

With Parx On line casino Bensalem, the thought or scent of smoke by no means crosses my thoughts.

What Pennsylvania casino-goers need to say about smoking

Allegheny County Democratic Rep. Dan Frankel launched the Defending Employees from Secondhand Smoke Act to ban smoking inside casinos. The invoice is choosing up steam after it handed via the Home Committee final month.

Because the invoice continues to run via the legislative course of, gamers are nonetheless capable of smoke in designated areas of the casinos, aside from the Parx places.

One feminine participant at Rivers On line casino Philadelphia, who declined to share her title, stated that the smoke doesn’t trouble her. I approached one other feminine participant, additionally declining to share her title, who’s a smoker. She was not smoking on the time I approached.

She stated she can be upset if smoking was banned inside casinos. Her reasoning:

“I don’t see why they shouldn’t allow us to smoke,” she advised me. “They’re giving out drinks after which we sit right here dropping our cash. They need to allow us to smoke.”

Mike from Delran, New Jersey, who was gaming at Stay! On line casino Philadelphia, shared related sentiments. He stated:

“It could suck (if smoking bought banned),” he stated. “That’s what the world goes towards. I’m stunned I can nonetheless smoke right here anyway.”

The potential smoke ban wouldn’t influence Mike’s gaming habits. He stated he “wouldn’t hate” smoking outdoors and nonetheless playing.

Steve from West Philadelphia, additionally at Stay! On line casino Philadelphia, sang a special tune.

“They need to ban it,” he advised me. “I don’t smoke and I don’t wish to catch most cancers.”

Steve stated he visits Stay! On line casino Philadelphia two or thrice every week. His visits per week would improve if the state banned on line casino smoking.

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