How Will the Smoking Ban Affect New Orleans Casinos?
May 10, 2016 By Chris Majot Leave Comments 0 The city of New Orleans implemented a full ban on smoking in bars, restaurants, casinos, and other public spaces in April of 2014. The purpose of the law was to extend existing statewide smoking bans within the city limits. The new law means it is illegal to smoke within five feet of everything from public parks to colleges and even the city’s jails and prisons. The use of e-cigarettes and vaporizers is also considered smoking. So that’s banned too. How do the operators of gambling venues in New Orleans feel about it? They’re upset. The Louisiana State Police, which oversees gambling in Louisiana, predicted that the state could lose $104 million in tax revenue and fees from the implementation of this ban. That number came from the Gaming Enforcement Commission’s notes on a study done on smoking bans in Atlantic City and Delaware gaming properties. That study, which you can read as a PDF file here , accurately predicted a 1...