The Business Case for Smokefree Casinos

Assessing the Economic Impacts of Indoor Smokefree Casino Policies

For decades, the ANR Foundation has supported smokefree protections through legislation and public education. In the post-COVID landscape, with nearly 90% of adults identifying as nonsmokers, shareholder engagement has become a key strategy to address the material business risks of indoor smoking.

Shareholder proposals submitted to publicly traded casino companies have called for increased disclosure on the potential cost savings and operational benefits of smokefree indoor air policies. These reports provide investors with decision-useful insights, including reduced employee turnover, lower health and liability costs, decreased maintenance expenses, and improved customer satisfaction and retention.

The evidence across industries is clear: smokefree air is good for health and good for business. From airplanes and restaurants to hotels and casinos, real-world outcomes have consistently outperformed the outdated scare tactics promoted by the tobacco industry.

For asset managers focused on risk management, workforce health, and long-term value creation, transparency on smokefree policy impacts offers a timely and strategic opportunity.

This process is a way for investors to signal to management this is an issue of concern that should be addressed. Our proposals in the past two years generated major national news coverage, including from top business outlets like, Squawk Box and The Wall Street Journal. These headlines have amplified our message and made it clear that this is not just a health issue—it’s a business issue.

Goals:

  • Calls for a report on financial implications of a smokefree policy — not implementation
  • Promotes transparency and data-driven decision-making
  • Equips leadership with insights on revenue, cost savings, and risk
  • Helps evaluate alignment with consumer trends and regulatory shifts
  • Allows casino to stay competitive in a health-conscious market

(click to see full memo and slides)

See also: 2025 Press Release and Background

In the news:

The Las Vegas Weekly reports on the shareholder resolutions proposed by ANR/F and partners to ask casino operators Boyd Gaming, Caesar’s Entertainment, Wynn Resorts, and Penn Entertainment to commission a study on the cost savings of smokefree gaming. ANR/F’s Bronson Frick is quoted — Las Vegas Weekly

Penn Entertainment casino workers urge CEO to go 100% smokefree. Open letter highlights health risks, business case and growing momentum. Read press release

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About ANRF

American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation (ANRF) is a 501c3 non-profit educational and advocacy group that has been working for nearly 50 years to protect everyone’s right to breathe nontoxic air in workplaces and public places, from offices and airplanes to restaurants, bars, and casinos. ANRF has continuously shined a light on the tobacco industry’s interference with sound and life-saving public health measures and successfully protected 61% of the population with local or statewide smokefree workplace, restaurant, and bar laws. ANRF aims to close gaps in smokefree protections for workers in all workplaces, including bars, music venues, casinos, and hotels. For more information, please visit https://no-smoke.org/. ANRF projects include https://smokefreecasinos.org/ and https://smokefreemusiccities.org/.