Questions for Regular Players who are Non Smokers

Quote: Mission146

Every casino in the State of Ohio is, by law.

Yep. My casino even bans e-cigs. Not all of them have to. Frankly, I don't think i could be a dealer if smoking were allowed.

But as a player, at least I can leave if it bugs me. It bugs my wife even more, to the point hwere it ruined her enjoyment of Vegas when it got more crowded. When it was less crowded, she loved it.

Quote: Perdition

1. Does the smoke still bother you at this point or are you used to it?

Smoking does not bother me tremendously anywhere (sidewalks, bars, etc.) including casinos

Quote: Perdition

2. Have you ever got so sick from the smoke you needed to leave the casino for a bit or go to another section of the casino?

No, but if there is another spot at the table I'm at, I might move.

Quote: Perdition

3. Do you have clothes you wear only to the casino and clothes you wear only to other places?

No, but I do change clothes after a strong smoke bath before going out for other fun (dinner, bars, entertainment)

Quote: Perdition

4. Have you ever been asked by a doctor if you smoke or had an adverse medical test showing signs of smoking?

No

Quote: Perdition

5. Are smokers usually courteous to you or does it get to be a problem with smoke in your face?

Normally (9 out of 10)

Quote: Perdition

6. Do you take any steps to protect yourself from smoke like personal fans, masks etc or is it not that bad?

No, it's not that bad

Quote: Perdition

7. On a scale of 0 to 10 how much does smoke impact your casino experience?

1

Quote: Perdition

8. In your opinion what are the best and worst casinos for non smokers?

Never really thought about it, sorry.

In Belgium, it is forbidden to smoke in public places, including (by a later addition to the law) the casinos. It was a relief for me, as well as for many dealers.

Yet this is what happened to me last year. A woman started to smoke not far from me. I went and asked her to stop; she said 'Ooh sorry I forgot', but didn't put out her cig or go to the dedicated smoking room. So I insisted, and as she reacted irritated, I just took her cig and crushed it under my foot.

The woman went to the direction, they visioned tapes and I was told to leave the premises and not come back!!! Bl***y bast***s!

For those who want to boycott the place, it was the VIAGE in Brussels.

Quote: hwccdealer

Yep. My casino even bans e-cigs. Not all of them have to. Frankly, I don't think i could be a dealer if smoking were allowed.

But as a player, at least I can leave if it bugs me. It bugs my wife even more, to the point hwere it ruined her enjoyment of Vegas when it got more crowded. When it was less crowded, she loved it.

As a dealer, you can leave too. If smoke bothers you, you probably shouldn't have chosen a profession where you are constantly around people who smoke. This would be like a truck driver complaining that he hates driving, or a waitress complaining that she doesn't like serving people, or a surgeon complaining that he is bothered by the sight of blood.

In Montana the smoking ban in bars/restaurants/casinos took effect on 1 Oct 2009. Revenue from the machines had dropped 5% from the 2008 crash. But the smoking ban caused machine revenue to drop another 17% in the fourth quarter of 2009. It's not that smokers quit gambling because of the ban, but whatever amount of time they have for the casino they spend a good bit of it outside in the smoking shelters--and not smacking that button on the machine.

The smoking shelters have to be open air. This is usually accomplished by not building the wall or window all the way up to the ceiling. Many places installed heat lamps to keep us warm while we are puffing away. One bar/casino owner, who owns five places here in Great Falls, had smoking shelters attached to his casinos that are so warm and cozy that you feel like you are inside. As soon as the shelters were approved he stuck 6 machines in each of them. The state has been doing everything they can to get him to remove the machines from the shelters but he has the law on his side. There is nothing in the law prohibiting machines in smoking shelters. Other casino owners are now copycatting him.

When smoking was banned at slot machines inside grocery stores in Las Vegas, revenue dropped about 40%.

Smoking doesn't bother me too much, but heavy smoke tends to stink a little. I'm a bit worried because I have only gone slightly over a month without smoking, and if I'm already starting not to like smoke now...

Quote: AxiomOfChoice

As a dealer, you can leave too. If smoke bothers you, you probably shouldn't have chosen a profession where you are constantly around people who smoke. This would be like a truck driver complaining that he hates driving, or a waitress complaining that she doesn't like serving people, or a surgeon complaining that he is bothered by the sight of blood.

If smoke were an issue at my casino, I wouldn't deal. That said, from what I've read, the overall trend at casinos is slow progress toward smoke-free. I read that AC banned smoking by and large, PR doesn't have smoking, and many casinos are expanding smoke-free sections. So no, I am not around smoke.

I have enough crap to deal with besides smoke anyway. I don't need smoke on top of it.

Quote: Perdition

Just a few quick questions for people who spend a lot of time in casinos but don't smoke.

1. Does the smoke still bother you at this point or are you used to it?

2. Have you ever got so sick from the smoke you needed to leave the casino for a bit or go to another section of the casino?

3. Do you have clothes you wear only to the casino and clothes you wear only to other places?

4. Have you ever been asked by a doctor if you smoke or had an adverse medical test showing signs of smoking?

5. Are smokers usually courteous to you or does it get to be a problem with smoke in your face?

6. Do you take any steps to protect yourself from smoke like personal fans, masks etc or is it not that bad?

7. On a scale of 0 to 10 how much does smoke impact your casino experience?

8. In your opinion what are the best and worst casinos for non smokers?

Thanks in advance for taking the time to read this and for any answers given.

Edit: Tidied up the post per Wizard's suggestions

1. No, smoke has never really bothered me.
2. No. But I usually play in the nonsmoking sections so this is not an issue. But even when in smoking areas, smoke has never bother me.
3. No, I dress to the casino more or less how I dress everywhere else.
4. Yes everytime I get a physcial the Doc asks if I smoke (I am pretty sure that is a standard question).
5. Usually nice. But as I am usually in the non smoking areas it is rarely an issue to worry about.
6. No. If you are so worried about smoke that you would wear a biohazard mask in public, just stay in the nonsmoking area.....
7. 0.0000 It is not something I think much about. I am rarley in smoking areas, and when I am it does not bother me...
8. In Atlantic City they are all pretty much the same. The current rule is at least 75% of the building is nonsmoking, and 25% max smoking (and I beleive every casino uses the full 25%). For a while Revel was all nonsmoking, but that quickly ended when they were a ghosttown...



I honestly don't understand why so many people are hating on smokers. You are only allowed to smoke in 25% of the building. That means The vast majority of the building is nonsmoking, just stay in the 75% that is nonsmoking if you care so much about smoke...........

1. Does the smoke still bother you at this point or are you used to it? It will always bother me!

2. Have you ever got so sick from the smoke you needed to leave the casino for a bit or go to another section of the casino? Yes, happens all the time. Specially in South America where the air renewers really suck.

3. Do you have clothes you wear only to the casino and clothes you wear only to other places? No. I wear pretty much regular clothes every day.

4. Have you ever been asked by a doctor if you smoke or had an adverse medical test showing signs of smoking? Yes.

5. Are smokers usually courteous to you or does it get to be a problem with smoke in your face? Some are courteous, some are not.

6. Do you take any steps to protect yourself from smoke like personal fans, masks etc or is it not that bad? It is bad but I have never used such resources.

7. On a scale of 0 to 10 how much does smoke impact your casino experience? 6.

8. In your opinion what are the best and worst casinos for non smokers? I don't have a relevant knowledge about it.

Quote: hwccdealer

from what I've read, the overall trend at casinos is slow progress toward smoke-free.

Not that it necessarily matters, but I would describe it as a government control trend. Generally the restrictions are mandated by government, and implemented resentfully by the casinos.

Quote: Gandler

I honestly don't understand why so many people are hating on smokers. You are only allowed to smoke in 25% of the building. That means The vast majority of the building is nonsmoking, just stay in the 75% that is nonsmoking if you care so much about smoke...........

Sorry, I didn't realize this was exclusively an Atlantic City discussion. Many casinos elsewhere are 100% smoke.

And although I've never visited AC, I've heard that the restrictions there are loosely enforced.

Quote: gpac1377

Sorry, I didn't realize this was exclusively an Atlantic City discussion. Many casinos elsewhere are 100% smoke.

And although I've never visited AC, I've heard that the restrictions there are loosely enforced.

I am sure they have some nonsmoking sections where you live. Even if not mandated by law, I am sure some casinos have taken the inititive to set up nonsmoking areas. In 2014 I cannot imagine any building being 100% smoking even if no law requires otherwise...

Quote: gpac1377

Not that it necessarily matters, but I would describe it as a government control trend. Generally the restrictions are mandated by government, and implemented resentfully by the casinos.

Yeah, Illinois casinos hate being smoke-free. People often go to Missouri and Indiana instead. I can't even think of a casino that is completely non-smoking on their own accord.

Quote: Gandler

I am sure they have some nonsmoking sections where you live.

Here in Las Vegas, generally not, unless you play poker. The Strip and downtown casinos are basically 100% smoking except the poker rooms. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. Some (certainly not all) of the locals casinos will designate a few rows of machines, but smokers ignore the signs, and of course the smoky air doesn't observe the restrictions either.

Quote: tringlomane

I can't even think of a casino that is completely non-smoking on their own accord.

People are gonna think I'm on their payroll, but the delightful Palace Casino Resort in Biloxi is 100% smoke-free except for a fully-enclosed smokers' lounge, such as you'd find at an airport.

Quote: gpac1377

Here in Las Vegas, generally not, unless you play poker. The Strip and downtown casinos are basically 100% smoking except the poker rooms. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. Some (certainly not all) of the locals casinos will designate a few rows of machines, but smokers ignore the signs, and of course the smoky air doesn't observe the restrictions either.

That is bizarre. I can't picture people being able to smoke anywhere they want. I am so used to smoking bans everywhere.

Quote: Gandler

That is bizarre. I can't picture people being able to smoke anywhere they want. I am so used to smoking bans everywhere.

The Las Vegas Advisor maintains a list of non-smoking areas:

http://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/nonsmoke.cfm

It's basically just poker rooms and portions of bingo rooms, plus of course you may be able to designate a particular table game as non-smoking.

But that's the situation throughout Nevada, and also (to my knowledge) Mississippi, Louisiana, and probably a lot of Native American casinos nationwide.

I agree that it's bizarre :(

In Vegas some Bingo rooms have separate sections with glass walls and air conditioning systems that keep the air totally separated too.

Poker rooms are usually non smoking and the dealers there are allowed to have shirt pockets too. Their tokes travel with the dealer, usually. Though poker dealers are just like waitresses and have a mandatory tip share with a few poker room staff who are rarely tipped by the public directly. Sort of the way a bar-back gets a waitresses tips but rarely directly from the public is he ever tipped.

I've discussed the science and pseudo-science behind the smoking issue. As long as casino owners believe that most gamblers smoke like a chimney, they are going to fight tooth and nail.

One non smoking casino in Fallon, Nevada failed but it was really a convenience store with a few machines and half the town's businesses closed as well for other reasons so the non-smoking in the casino had nothing to do with the closing.

I love the Palace in Biloxi for its courage and independence and really think it should be rewarded for boldly stating on websites and ads: 100 percent non-smoking even though technically its about 99 percent non-smoking.

I believe Mr. Spock of Star Trek (original version) recently came down with throat cancer or emphysema and has made a few Smoking is Irrational statements in the persona of his character but then many of the handsome, strong, rugged Marlboro Men from the fifties and sixties also suffered from lung cancer. I remember when television shows would announce the military hospitals that would be getting free cigarettes from their sponsor that week. It took courage for some hospitals to decline. I've seen people in old age homes repeatedly trigger fire alarms just to bum cigarettes from the crowds that gather as the fire trucks come screaming up and stop outside the place. I've seen women in full oxygen tents sneak smokes despite the danger of an explosion and intensely hot fire. Many such addictions might evaporate if patients had anything else to do but often they don't. Its lie there and wait for death and in our mythology we always do offer the condemned man an opportunity for a final cigar as well as offering him the courtesy, universally declined, of a blind fold.

Australia has banned ALL cigarette packaging. Only a bland generic container is allowed with no logos or trademarks associated with prior exposure to advertising messages. Taxes are high. So are the profits (and speeds) of the smuggling boats coming in from Noumea and New Zealand. Yet we do have discontinuities in the laws of some countries. In Ireland it used to be much, much better to be indicted for illegal importation of heroin than it was to be indicted for importation of condoms. Ireland has problems with gun running, but if a yachtsman sails into port and declares his weapon to customs, they simply take it from him and tell him to be sure to drop in and pick it up before he leaves Irish waters. Justice tempered with reason. Same thing with pilots who land in Canada from Alaska. They are allowed to come "loaded for bear" but not carrying pistols that wouldn't even annoy a bear.

I wish we could abolish cigarettes, but too many people are addicted and too many people are willing to make good money as smugglers. I'd like to let old people, who want to smoke, have their cigarettes but many nurses are very young and all those matches around oxygen tanks could have some interesting effects on nurses, passersby and firemen.

Quote: FleaStiff

I've seen people in old age homes repeatedly trigger fire alarms just to bum cigarettes from the crowds that gather as the fire trucks come screaming up and stop outside the place.

LOL, the majesty of the human spirit.

Quote: gpac1377

LOL, the majesty of the human spirit.

That is one attitude you can take, but I wonder if you will continue to hold that attitude after the fifteenth or twentieth such false alarm, particularly when the nursing home is next to a library.

For some people the issue of smoking is often a "straw" issue. You know, that final straw that broke the camel's back. Some man who hates his job, hates his wife, hates his kids ... and now some jerk is trying to tell him smoking is not allowed. POW!! The issue was not really the smoking laws at all. The issue was his final place of enjoyment of something in his life and he does not want to part with it.

Quote: FleaStiff

That is one attitude you can take

I fully expect to be beaten to death by a smoker who takes offense at my attitude, but my variance has been positive so far.

Quote: gpac1377

The Las Vegas Advisor maintains a list of non-smoking areas:

http://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/nonsmoke.cfm

It's basically just poker rooms and portions of bingo rooms, plus of course you may be able to designate a particular table game as non-smoking.

But that's the situation throughout Nevada, and also (to my knowledge) Mississippi, Louisiana, and probably a lot of Native American casinos nationwide.

I agree that it's bizarre :(

Why are so many poker rooms nonsmoking?

Seems a strange place to ban smoking when smoking is allowed everywhere else?

Quote: Gandler

Why are so many poker rooms nonsmoking?

Seems a strange place to ban smoking when smoking is allowed everywhere else?

Interesting question, I'm not really sure, although it must have been demanded by poker players.

But it's comical because if the physical configuration allows, the smokers will keep a cigarette in progress at the nearest ashtray, then run back and forth between hands.

Quote: hwccdealer

If smoke were an issue at my casino, I wouldn't deal.

I think that's a reasonable approach.

I don't think that it's reasonable to choose to become a dealer at a place that allows smoking, and then complain about the smoke.

Quote: AxiomOfChoice

I don't think that it's reasonable to choose to become a dealer at a place that allows smoking, and then complain about the smoke.

To be fair, some smokers at table games are incredibly obnoxious, to the point of deliberately antagonizing dealers. Although sadly very much to be expected, I can understand the frustration it would cause.

Quote: gpac1377

Interesting question, I'm not really sure, although it must have been demanded by poker players.

But it's comical because if the physical configuration allows, the smokers will keep a cigarette in progress at the nearest ashtray, then run back and forth between hands.

True I used to smoke as close as possible to a non-smoking section if I'm watching a progressive or sweating action at a poker room.

Quote: djatc

True I used to smoke as close as possible to a non-smoking section if I'm watching a progressive or sweating action at a poker room.

Good times. It's especially joyful for me when the intruder is a vagrant rather than an active player.

It's the same every time. I turn around and do my death glare. The polluter notices me and smiles in reaction, nodding hello. I continue glaring, and the polluter shrugs, "What??"

Like it's an Agatha Christie mystery to figure out what aspect of their behavior could possibly be irritating the crap out of me.

Someone will now respond here that I'm the ahole because if I don't love smoke, I shouldn't be in a casino. I'm already well aware of that, thank you :)