Casino employees in Rhode Island are once again calling on lawmakers to remove the smoking exemption for casinos. Their push comes amid growing support, but legislative action remains uncertain.
Good to know
- Rhode Island casinos are currently exempt from the state’s indoor smoking ban.
- Speaker of the House has joined as a co-sponsor, but no vote has been scheduled.
- Bally’s operates both casinos in the state, located in Lincoln and Tiverton.
Dozens of casino employees gathered at the State House this week, demanding a ban on indoor smoking at casinos. Around 150 workers representing 11 different unions showed up to support the proposal, making their case in front of lawmakers.
For the fourth year in a row, Rep. Teresa Tanzi introduced legislation that would close the casino loophole in Rhode Island’s indoor smoking law. “For the last 20 years, there has been a grave injustice happening in our casinos,” Tanzi told the group. “These are our workers who are there day in, day out — they’re doing a service for our state.”
While the bill has gained some traction, it still has not reached the House floor. Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi has signed on as a co-sponsor, giving some hope to those backing the change. However, things remain uncertain in the Senate.
The Senate version of the bill has not yet been heard in committee. Senate Majority Leader Frank Ciccone III, who chairs the committee on labor and gaming, continues to oppose the proposal. He argues that a full ban could cut into state revenue and impact casino profits.
Instead of a full ban, Ciccone suggests expanding non-smoking areas inside the casinos. He mentioned that further meetings could be arranged to work toward a solution. “If anything looks fruitful, we’ll set up another meeting with everyone again,” he told the Rhode Island Current. “Hopefully we’ll get closer.”
Worker Pushback Against Compromise
Not everyone is on board with partial solutions. Several workers made clear that limiting smoking to certain areas would not be enough to address their health and safety concerns.
Vanessa Baker, a gaming supervisor at Bally’s Lincoln, criticized the current policy. “The Rhode Island casinos are allowing the safety and wellbeing of their employees and patrons at risk and showing that their employees are expendable,” she said.
Bally’s operates both casinos in the state — one in Lincoln and the other in Tiverton. While the company has not issued a statement on the protest, it remains central to the ongoing debate.
Pressure Extends Beyond Rhode Island
The issue has been gaining attention across other states as well. In New Jersey, a similar proposal reached the Supreme Court after multiple appeals. Some union workers there also opposed a full ban, fearing job losses.
Meanwhile, shareholders are stepping in. Resolutions have been filed asking companies like Caesars Entertainment, Bally’s Corp., Wynn Resorts, Boyd Gaming, and Penn Entertainment to examine the potential benefits of fully smoke-free casinos.
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