Bally’s Lobbies Rhode Island Lawmakers Against Tobacco Ban, Claims Smoking Attracts Players
Posted on: April 12, 2025, 02:35h.
Last updated on: April 11, 2025, 03:36h.
- Bally’s says indoor smoking helps its Rhode Island casinos
- Rhode Island lawmakers are again considering legislation to end casino smoking
- Casino smoking is legally prohibited in neighboring Massachusetts
Bally’s Corporation is lobbying lawmakers in its home state of Rhode Island to oppose legislation that would force its two gaming properties to go smoke-free.
The Rhode Island General Assembly is yet again considering legislation that would close the smoking loophole afforded for the state’s two Bally’s casinos. The carveout came through the state’s clean indoor air law known as the Rhode Island Public Health and Workplace Safety Act enacted in 2005.
House Bill 5464, introduced in February by lead sponsor Rep. Teresa Tanzi (D-South Kingstown), and its Senate companion legislation, Senate Bill 188, would repeal the indoor smoking privileges afforded to parimutuel facilities and casinos. Tanzi has led the quest to extinguish cigarettes and cigars from casino and parimutuel wagering floors each legislative session since 2021.
During a Thursday House Finance Committee hearing on HB5464, members of the Rhode Island chapter of CEASE, or Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects, testified about how being subjected to dangerous secondhand smoke has affected their lives.
I’ve been with Bally’s for 12 years. I survived stage 3 neck and head cancer and stage 1 lung cancer at the same time. Maybe that’s one of the reasons I’m here — to say we shouldn’t be subjected to this. It’s not fair,” said Phil Farinelli, a floor supervisor at Bally’s Lincoln.
“I love my job but I don’t want to get cancer,” added Karen Gorman, a cocktail waitress at Bally’s Tiverton. “Those filtration systems don’t work. We smell the smoke when we’re away from the gaming floor. If smoking is continued to be allowed, I’m probably not going to work at the casino anymore, which disheartens me.”
Bally’s Defends Casino Smoking
Bally’s reps said the allowance of tobacco use in designated sections of Bally’s Lincoln and Bally’s Tiverton gives the two casinos that operate slot-like video lottery terminals on the Rhode Island Lottery’s behalf, which primarily benefits the State General Fund, is crucial to its continued success.
Craig Sculos, the casino company’s senior vice president of regulatory regulations in Rhode Island, said smoking gives the two casinos an upper hand against its two major gaming market competitors — Connecticut and Massachusetts. Massachusetts prohibits its three commercial casinos from allowing indoor smoking. Connecticut’s two tribes have voluntarily gone smoke-free at Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods.
Sculos said slots in smoking sections average $200 more in daily play than machines in non-smoking areas.
You set the floor like you set a menu in your restaurant — based on demand,” Sculos said.
Sculos also cited that Bally’s has invested in an entire non-smoking gaming level in Lincoln that’s physically separated from the smoking casino on the lower level.
Public Favors Smoking Ban
A recent poll published in February commissioned by the Rhode Island AFL-CIO found growing support in Rhode Island to end the casino smoking exemptions.
The survey found that nearly seven in 10 Rhode Islanders “strongly” or “somewhat” support a smoking ban at both Bally’s casinos. Just 26% said they would oppose a smoking prohibition at the video lottery facilities.
SB188 remains with the Senate Labor and Gaming Committee. Tanzi’s HB5464 was recommended for further study by the House Finance Committee.
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Last Comments ( 3 )
I've been there. The main level is horrible. It reeks. The non smoking area is useless, it's not near the music , the bars,the restaurants. Nothing. Yes smokers won't be happy. But they will still come because they have no choice. There probably will be a small revenue drop, so if course Bally will fight to bitter end. Its time to end it and join the rest of New England for the safety of the workers and players who don't smoke. The time has come.
So employees have to get cancer so the casino makes more money in designated smoking areas? That’s messed up! The non smoking slot area is nothing compared to the whole casino. The whole casino reeks of smoke. Terrible. I used to go more often but just to sports book and slots for short period. I bet online now.
A casino that prohibits smoking risks losing gaming revenue because a certain portion of players who smoke decide during their smoke break to walk away. In other words, they chose to play responsibly, and taking a periodic smoking break allowed them to do so. Their argument that a casino will make more money if smokers remain at their games is the antithesis of one of the principles of responsible gaming.