Reducing respiratory risk when reopening
Smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke are risk factors for susceptibility to more severe COVID-19 symptoms because of their impact on underlying health conditions like diminished lung function, weakened immune system, and associated risk of respiratory illness. Now more than ever, reducing exposure to respiratory risk factors seems imperative, and we strongly recommend removing secondhand smoke from indoor environments and encourage those who currently smoke to quit.
Understandably, businesses are eager to reopen their doors and resume providing a safe and healthy customer experience. While cities and states prepare plans for phased approaches to open the economy, many business owners are making smokefree indoor air part of that plan.
We celebrate the announcements we are seeing on social media and in the news that a wide range of hospitality and gaming venues intend to reopen their doors with smokefree indoor air policies. We especially want to acknowledge the strong leadership from sovereign Tribes to reopen many casinos as smokefree venues for the safety and well-being of staff and customers.
We’ll be updating the partial list below regularly. Please check back!
- Mobile Greyhound Park (Poarch Band of Creek Indians) — Alabama
- Wind Creek Atmore (Poarch Band of Creek Indians) — Alabama
- Wind Creek Casino & Hotel Montgomery (Poarch Band of Creek Indians) — Alabama
- Wind Creek Wetumpka (Poarch Band of Creek Indians) — Alabama
- MIC Gaming Hall (Metlakatla Indian Community) — Alaska
- BlueWater Resort & Casino (Colorado River Indian Tribes) — Arizona
- Casino Arizona (Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community) — Arizona
- Desert Diamond Casinos (Tohono O’odham Nation) — Arizona
- Desert Diamond Casino, Sahuarita
- Desert Diamond Casino, Tuscon
- Desert Diamond Casino, Why (formerly the Golden Ha:san Casino)
- Gila River Hotels & Casinos (Gila River Indian Community) — Arizona
- Hon-Dah Resort Casino (White Mountain Apache Tribe) — Arizona
- Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise
- Quechan Paradise Casino (Quechan Tribe) — Arizona
- Talking Stick Resort (Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community) — Arizona
- We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort (Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation) — Arizona
- East End Sports Pub — Arkansas
- Oaklawn Park Casino – Arkansas
- Saracen Casino Resort & Saracen Casino Annex (Quapaw Nation of Oklahoma) — Arkanasas
- Southland Casino – Arkansas
- Augustine Casino (Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians) – California
- Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs (Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians) — California
- Agua Caliente Casino Cathedral City (Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians) — California
- Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage (Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians) — California
- Casino Morongo (Morongo Band of Mission Indians) — California
- Cher-Ae Heights Casino (Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria) — California
- Chicken Ranch Casino (Chicken Ranch Rancheria Me-Wuk Indians) — California
- Commerce Casino — California
- Coyote Valley Casino (Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians) — California
- Eagle Mountain Casino (Tule River Indian Tribe of California) — California
- Fantasy Springs Resort Casino (Cabazon Band of Mission Indians) — California
- Konocti Vista Casino Resort, Marina & RV Park (Big Valley Rancheria of Pomo Indians) — California
- Lucky 7 Casino & Hotel (Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation) — California
- Pechanga Resort Casino (Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians) — California
- Quechan Casino Resort (Fort Yuma Quechan Tribe) — California
- River Rock Casino (Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians) — California
- San Manuel Casino (San Manuel Band of Mission Indians) — California
- San Pablo Lytton Casino (Lytton Band of Pomo Indians) — California
- Seven Mile Casino — California
- Soboba Casino Resort (Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians) — California
- Table Mountain Casino (Table Mountain Rancheria) — California
- Tachi Palace Casino Resort (Tachi Yokut Tribe Santa Rosa Rancheria) — California
- Twin Pine Casino & Hotel (Middletown Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians of California) — California
- Ute Mountain Casino Hotel (Ute Mountain Ute Tribe) — Colorado
- Mohegan Sun (Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut) — Connnecticut
- Creek Entertainment Gretna (Poarch Band of Creek Indians) — Florida
- Joe’s (formerly Smokin Joe’s) – Florida
- Miccosukee Resort & Gaming (Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida) – Florida
- Pensacola Greyhound Track and Poker Room (Poarch Band of Creek Indians) — Florida
- Pete’s Place – Florida
- The Hub – Florida
- Tiny Tap – Florida
- Victory I (Cruise Casino) — Florida
- Clearwater River Casino & Lodge (Nez Perce Tribe) — Idaho
- It’se Ye-Ye Casino (Nez Perce Tribe) — Idaho
- Between the Buns – Indiana
- Four Winds Casino Resort (Pokagon Band of Potawatomi) – Indiana
- French Lick Casino – Indiana
- Hard Rock Rocksino (property under development) — Indiana
- Blackbird Bend Casino (Omaha Tribe of Nebraska) — Iowa
- Meskwaki Bingo Casino and Hotel (Meskwaki Nation) — Iowa
- Prairie Flower Casino (Ponca Tribe of Nebraska) — Iowa
- Prairie Meadows Casino — Iowa
- WinnaVegas Casino (Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska) — Iowa
- Keeneland Race Course — Kentucky
- Red Mile Gaming & Racing — Kentucky
- Cash Magic Truck Plaza & Casino, Shreveport (August 2021) — Louisiana
- Eldorado Resort Casino, Shreveport (August 2021) — Louisiana
- Jena Choctaw Pines Casino (Jena Band of Choctaw Indians) – Louisiana
- Lucky Jacks Casino, Shreveport (August 2021) — Louisiana
- Sam’s Town Hotel and Casino, Shreveport (August 2021) — Louisiana
- Bay Mills Resort & Casino (Bay Mills Indian Community) — Michigan
- FireKeepers Casino (Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi) — Michigan
- Four Winds Casino Dowagiac (Pokagon Band of Potawatomi) — Michigan
- Four Winds Casino Hartford (Pokagon Band of Potawatomi) — Michigan
- Four Winds Casino New Buffalo (Pokagon Band of Potawatomi) — Michigan
- Greektown Casino — Michigan
- Gun Lake Casino (Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi) — Michigan
- Island Resort (Hannahville Indian Community) — Michigan
- Leelanau Sands Casino & Lodge (Hannahville Indian Community) — Michigan
- MGM Grand Detroit — Michigan
- MotorCity Casino — Michigan
- Odawa Casino Mackinaw (Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians) — Michigan
- Odawa Casino Resort (Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians) — Michigan
- Saganing Eagles Landing Casino (Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe) — Michigan
- Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort (Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe) — Michigan
- Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel (Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians) — Michigan
- Black Bear Casino Resort (Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa)
— Minnesota - Cedar Lakes Casino (Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe) — Minnesota
- Fond-du-Luth Casino (Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa) — Minnesota
- Fortune Bay Casino (Bois Forte Band of Minnesota Chippewa ) — Minnesota
- Grand Casino Hinkley (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) — Minnesota
- Grand Casino Mille Lacs (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) — Minnesota
- Northern Lights Casino (Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe) — Minnesota
- Seven Clans Casinos (Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians) — Minnesota
- Red Lake
- Thief River Falls
- Warroad
- White Oak Casino (Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe) — Minnesota
- Bok Homa Casino (Choctaw Resort Development Enterprise, Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians) — Mississippi
- Magnolia Bluffs Casino — Mississippi
- Haffy’s Sports Bar – Missouri
- Myrtle’s Place Back Alley BBQ – Missouri
- Rude Dog Pub – Missouri
- The Library – Missouri
- Glacier Peaks Casino (Blackfeet Nation) — Montana
- Aces & Ales — Nevada
- The Garden Las Vegas – Nevada
- Gold and Silver Inn — Nevada
- Park MGM Las Vegas — Nevada
- Wa She Shu Casino (Poarch Band of Creek Indians) — Nevada
- Bally’s Atlantic City Hotel & Casino — New Jersey
- Borgata Hotel and Casino — New Jersey
- Caesars Palace Atlantic City — New Jersey
- Golden Nugget Atlantic City Hotel, Casino & Marina — New Jersey
- Hard Rock Hotel Casino Atlantic City — New Jersey
- Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City — New Jersey
- Ocean Casino Resort — New Jersey
- Resorts Casino Hotel — New Jersey
- Tropicana Atlantic City — New Jersey
- Casino Apache (Mescalero Apache Tribe) — New Mexico
- Inn of Mountain Gods Resort & Casino (Mescalero Apache Tribe) — New Mexico
- Isleta Resort & Casino (Pueblo of Isleta) — New Mexico
- Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise
- Ohkay Hotel Casino (Pueblo of San Juan) — New Mexico
- Route 66 Casino (Pueblo of Laguna) — New Mexico
- Santa Ana Star Casino and Hotel (Pueblo of Santa Ana) — New Mexico
- Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino — New Mexico
- Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort (St. Regis Mohawk Tribe) — New York
- Oneida Nation Enterprises (all sites) – New York
- Seneca Resorts & Casinos (Seneca Nation of Indians – all locations) — New York
- Apache Casino Hotel (Fort Sill Apache Tribe) – Oklahoma
- Cedar Point Amusement Park — Ohio
- Apache Casino Hotel (Fort Sill Apache Tribe) – Oklahoma
- Cherokee Nation Entertainment (Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma – all locations) – Oklahoma
- Cherokee Casino Ft. Gibson — Oklahoma
- Cherokee Casino Grove — Oklahoma
- Cherokee Casino Ramona — Oklahoma
- Cherokee Casino Roland — Oklahoma
- Cherokee Casino Sallisaw — Oklahoma
- Cherokee Casino South Coffeyville — Oklahoma
- Cherokee Casino Tahlequah – Oklahoma
- Cherokee Casino West Siloam Springs — Oklahoma
- Cherokee Casino Will Rogers Downs — Oklahoma
- Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa — Oklahoma
- Choctaw Travel Plaza Casino Too (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma – 15 locations) — Oklahoma
- Antlers, Atoka, Broken Bow, Durant West (Calera), Durant East (Durant), Grant, Heavener, Hugo, Idabel, McAlester, Pocola, Poteau, Stigler, Stringtown, and Wilburton.
- Comanche Nation Entertainment (all locations) – Oklahoma
- Kiowa Casino & Hotel (Kiowa Tribe – all locations) – Oklahoma
- Chinook Winds Casino Resort (Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians) – Oregon
- Indian Head Casino (Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs) — Oregon
- Spirit Mountain Casino (Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde) — Oregon
- Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom — Pennsylvania
- Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino and Racetrack — Pennsylvania
- Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course — Pennsylvania
- Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin — Pennsylvania
- Live! Casino & Hotel — Pennsylvania
- Meadows Racetrack & Casino — Pennsylvania
- Mohegan Sun Pocono (Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut) — Pennsylvania
- Mount Airy Casino Resort — Pennsylvania
- Parx Casino — Pennsylvania
- Presque Isle Downs & Casino — Pennsylvania
- Rivers Casino Philadelphia (Formerly SugarHouse) — Pennsylvania
- Rivers Casino Pittsburgh — Pennsylvania
- Valley Forge Casino Resort — Pennsylvania
- Wind Creek Bethlehem — Pennsylvania
- Tiverton Casino Hotel — Rhode Island
- Twin River Casino Hotel — Rhode Island
- Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino-Hotel (Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas) — Texas
- Angel of the Winds Casino (Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians) – Washington
- Ilani Casino Resort (Cowlitz Indian Tribe) — Washington
- Legends Casino Hotel (Yakama Nation) — Washington
- Little Creek Casino Resort (Squaxin Island Tribe)– Washington
- Nisqually Red Wind Casino (Nisqually Indian Tribe) – Washington
- Quil Ceda Creek Casino (Tulalip Tribes) — Washington
- Quinault Beach Resort and Casino (Quinault Indian Nation) — Washington
- Shoalwater Bay Casino (Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe) — Washington
- Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort (Suquamish Tribe) – Washington
- Tulalip Bingo & Slots (Tulalip Tribes) — Washington
- Tulalip Resort Casino (Tulalip Tribes) — Washington
- Bad River Lodge & Casino (Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa) — Wisconsin, *not yet reopened*
- Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin (Ho-Chunk Nation – all locations) – Wisconsin
- Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin Black River Falls — Wisconsin
- Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin Madison — Wisconsin (celebrating 5 years smokefree)
- Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin Nekoosa — Wisconsin
- Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin Tomah
- Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin Dells — Wisconsin
- Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin Wittenberg — Wisconsin
- Lake of the Torches Resort Casino (Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians) — Wisconsin
- Legendary Waters Resort and Casino (Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa) — Wisconsin
- Menominee Casino Resort (Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin) — Wisconsin
- North Star Mohican Resort (Stockbridge-Munsee Community Band of Mohican Indians) — Wisconsin
- Oneida Casino – Wisconsin (Oneida Nation of Wisconsin – all sites):
- Potawatomi Hotel & Casino (Forest County Potawatomi Indian Tribe) — Wisconsin
- Thunderbird Convenience Store (Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin) — Wisconsin
- Little Wind Casino (Northern Arapaho Tribe) — Wyoming
- Wind River Hotel & Casino (Northern Arapaho Tribe) — Wyoming
Local and state governments should also consider doing the right thing and making the change permanent by creating parity in the market and requiring all workplaces, bars, restaurants, and casinos to be 100% smokefree indoors. Only 100% smokefree environments can guarantee protection to employees and patrons from the toxins in secondhand smoke. Just like coronavirus, secondhand smoke spreads throughout a building. Even during brief or low levels of exposure, secondhand smoke still creates significant health risks especially to the cardiovascular system.
For casinos and hospitality sector businesses, now is the logical time to go smokefree indoors.
Going smokefree can be a seamless transition. We recommend these easy steps that you can take TODAY to make your business smokefree:
- Exhale. Go for it! Make the healthy choice the easy choice. Establish your business as 100% smokefree indoors to protect the health of every employee and to encourage re-engagement of a consumer market eager to rebuild but hesitant to jeopardize its health in the process.
- Spread the news. Announce to all employees and customers that you have now adopted a smokefree policy for the health of everyone. Social media is a great way to engage with your audience and provide an outlet for questions or concerns.
- Post signage. The vast majority of U.S. adults are nonsmokers, which eases enforcement of the policy. Removing ashtrays and posting signs that indicate that the establishment is smokefree help let everyone know how to comply.
- Discuss the new policy with your employees. Explain how the policy affects your business using routine methods, such as staff meetings, payroll enclosures, break room posters, or emails. If you have employees who smoke, explain where and when they may smoke during work hours.
- Prepare your employees to implement the policy when business reopens. Train staff on the new policy and the protocol for handling customers who are not following the policy. Help them prepare what to say to customers who smoke.
- Enjoy the benefits. Smokefree air protects the health and safety of workers along with those who have respiratory and cardiovascular disease. Smokefree air will help keep the air safe and welcoming in hospitality and entertainment workplaces for everyone.