Iowa Considers Casino Smoking Ban

Iowa lawmakers are considering bans on smoking that would include casinos. Rep. Pam Jochum, D-Dubuque, has co-sponsored two bills - one that would ban smoking in all public places statewide, and another that would leave it to local governments to decide. She said the health implications of smoking demand action.

Casino operators say a smoking ban could cripple their bottom line by pushing away a prolific and generally high-paying customer class. Many casinos are pushing for other alternatives to the ban. Some casinos, including Dubuque's Greyhound Park & Casino, have installed air ventilators to appease the anti-smoking advocates. This will be a hot topic in the upcoming year, not just in Iowa but in all around the country.

In November Nevada voters approved a bill that would ban smoking in bars that served food and some proponents are looking toward the casinos as their next target of a smoking ban.