No Smoking For Colorado Gamblers

2008 will bring a sombrous change to smokers who gamble in casinos in the state of Colorado (US). December 31st will be the last day that those players can light up a cigarette inside a gambling establishment. January 1st will enact a new law and these smokers will need to use a terrace outside the casinos.

The Colorado Clean Indoor Act will take effect precisely one minute before midnight. The Colorado Smoking Ban gave exemption to casinos, cigar bars and the Denver International Airport. Politics however took over and in trying to score points with the Democratic National Convention, a State Legislative measure was passed and those exemptions were taken away and will now be banned smoking areas.

Casinos are expecting a ten to twenty percent revenue drop due to the ban. According to Scott Porter, Triple Crown Casinos Assistant Managing Director, "We're expecting the first three months to see a decline a little bit." To prepare for the new law and the winter, the casinos have installed outdoor heaters and windscreens. The Central City Town Council was able to have an outdoor area defined as forty percent exposed to the outdoors, this allows for partial indoor coverage. The Smoke-Free Gaming of Colorado Group thinks this allowance by the Town Council is in violation of the law. It has been surmised that a potential legal battle will ensue.

Smokers in violation of this can expect to see calendar year fines of $200 fine for the first violation, $300 fine for the second violation and $500 fine for the third violation. Casino operators do not expect much resistance from their smoker players. They would like to handle any issues within their establishments and not having to receive outside assistance from police.