Washington Tribal Casino Sites Asked to Ban Smoking

One of the advantages of playing at online casinos is the fact that if you do smoke, you can in your own home without bothering others. If you don’t smoke, then playing at an online casino allows you to play from home, a smoke-free environment where other players’ smoking habits do not have to affect you whatsoever. Online casino sites hold many other advantages when compared to land-based casinos, which is why more and more gambling fans are turning on their computers and staying out of the neon-lit cities of Vegas and Atlantic City.

And although online casino portals are becoming a very strong trend, there are still many gambling fans who love the thrill and excitement of playing at a brick-and-mortar casino. However, in this public setting, non-smokers and smokers are jumbled together in one location, where both suffer the inconvenience of regulated smoking. Except for Washington State, where public smoking is legally banned from all public places.

Out of genuine concern for public health, as Washington Governor Christine Gregoire claims, she has requested that the state’s 24 tribal casinos prevent visitors from smoking on casino premises. Because Native American tribes are not forced to comply with state law, tribal casino operators do not have to follow the ban. W. Ron Allen, chairman of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe and president of the Washington Indian Gaming Association stated that he would have to discuss this request with the tribal councils and regulatory boards before making a decision. The state will wait patiently for the tribe’s final decision.