Are Online Casinos The Only Way For Smokers To Gamble In PA?

• The Clean Air Act has been in effect for 12 years and is looking to expand its rules.
• A Pennsylvania state representative has offered a proposal to expand on the Clean Air Act.
• Online casinos could see a jump in users if this is passed.

HARRISBURG, Pa. — After being signed in June of 2008, the Clean Air Act of Pennsylvania could be expanding to more public venues that allow public smoking such as casinos. State Representative, Dan Frankel has submitted a proposal that would back the expansion up.

The bill expansion could add growth to an already growing market in legal online gambling. It’s clear that public smoking has been an issue in Pennsylvania for some time.

Clean Air Act

As previously mentioned, the Clean Air Act was signed in June of 2008. This bill prohibits smoking in all public places with the exception of Casinos, nightclubs, and other drinking venues. It is expected that the bill would exclude casinos, clubs, and bars since it is very common for adults to smoke when consuming alcohol or gambling.

“For Adult non-smokers, exposure to secondhand smoke increases the risk of developing heart disease by 25-30% and the risk for stroke by 20-30%.” said Pennsylvania State Representative Dan Frankel in his proposal of the bill.

Bill Proposal

Frankel had submitted a proposal that would expand the Clean Air Act to prohibit smoking from casinos, nightclubs and other public venues that allow smoking. It would also expand not only expand to regular cigarette and cigar smoking but also prohibit E-cigarettes as well.

“Pennsylvanians should not have to choose between a job at the casino or a trip to a sporting event and their family’s health,” Frankel said.

“Current law allows smoking in some bars, and casinos and sports venues. Right now, it’s perfectly legal to smoke after hours inside an in-home child care facility—with these loopholes, our law says it’s OK if some people - - workers, sports fans, children, - - are at risk of getting sick,” Frankel added.

Online Casino Surge

Being that there would be a ban on smoking in casinos, the ban would help surge an already soaring market in online casinos.

The way this would help online casinos is simple. There are some people that cannot go to a casino and not have a cigarette. With that being said, this could push in-person casino players to start playing online. They would be able to smoke from the comfort of their own home while still playing casino games online.

Eliminating the smokers from the casinos would somewhat be a step in the right direction on preventing second-hand smoking.

“There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. It causes respiratory infections, and more frequent and severe asthma in children, as well as stroke, lung cancer, and coronary heart disease in adults,” said the Center for Disease Control.