Pennsylvania on line casino employees testified earlier than lawmakers in Harrisburg on Wednesday, saying the state’s ongoing allowance of indoor smoking on designated components of the gaming flooring is jeopardizing their well being.
“Pennsylvania On line casino Staff Towards Smoking Results” colead Jen Rubolino testifies earlier than the state Home Well being Committee on why she believes indoor on line casino smoking ought to finish. New laws seeks to shut the on line casino smoking loophole. (Picture: CEASE)
State Rep. Dan Frankel (D-Alleghany) this week launched one other invoice that seeks to finish the casinos’ carveout from the Pennsylvania Clear Indoor Air Act. The smoking legislation permits casinos to designate as much as half of their gaming house for indoor smoking.
The Clear Indoor Air Act additionally offers exceptions for bars the place alcohol generates the majority of the enterprise’s income, and for cigar lounges, non-public golf equipment, and fraternal organizations just like the VFW (Veterans of Overseas Wars).
Frankel, for the second 12 months in a row, is in search of to extinguish tobacco smoke from casinos and different institutions excluded from the clear indoor air legislation. He says the previous {industry} arguments that making casinos go smoke-free damages their companies are outdated.
“Smoke-free environments entice extra prospects — not fewer,” Frankel mentioned this week.
On line casino Staff Stress Urgency
Together with well being officers, the Pennsylvania Home Well being Committee, which Frankel chairs, welcomed on line casino employees to testify earlier than the committee in its evaluation of Home Invoice 1657.
“Smoke-free casinos aren’t only a breath of contemporary air for us employees, however they’re proving to be winners for the {industry},” mentioned Jen Rubolino, a desk video games vendor at Rivers On line casino Pittsburgh in reference to Parx deciding to stay smoke-free within the COVID-19 aftermath.
Parx final 12 months generated brick-and-mortar gross gaming income (GGR) of $393.8 million from its slot machines and $204.8 million from its tables. Parx’s mixed haul of roughly $598.6 million in 2022 GGR bested its nearest competitor, Wind Creek Bethlehem, by practically $83 million.
“Now we have seen the proof firsthand. Parx is main the cost with smoke-free venues and industry-leading income,” Rubolino mentioned.
Parx and its satellite tv for pc property, Parx On line casino Shippensburg, are the one two amongst Pennsylvania’s 18 casinos to supply absolutely smoke-free gaming areas.
Rubolino is the coleader of the Pennsylvania chapter of CEASE, “On line casino Staff Towards Smoking Results.” Together with the Keystone State, the grassroots coalition of on line casino employees has organized chapters in New Jersey, Rhode Island, Kansas, and Virginia.
I’m talking on behalf of on line casino employees and on line casino patrons all through Pennsylvania. I’ve been working as a desk video games vendor since 2019. After I began, I used to be enthusiastic about working within the on line casino and dealing playing cards. However the smoke is horrible.”
“This goes on day by day for hundreds of on line casino employees. Eight hours a day, 40 hours per week, as they go to work to make a residing,” Rubolino testified. “This shouldn’t be occurring.”
Rubolino added that on line casino employees are “discriminated towards” within the state’s Clear Indoor Air At.
“On line casino employees are individuals, too, they usually deserve contemporary air,” she continued. “You shouldn’t have to decide on between your well being and a paycheck. I come right here at present on behalf of all on line casino employees to ask on your assist on Home Invoice 1657.”
Casinos Absent, VFW Helps Invoice
No representatives from the on line casino {industry} testified earlier than the Home Well being Committee throughout its evaluation of Frankel’s invoice.
They have been invited to attend however selected to not,” Frankel mentioned. “I assumed they might submit testimony, however they haven’t.”
John Getz, the state quartermaster of the VFW Division of Pennsylvania, testified that there’s been numerous “infighting” amongst VFW chapters concerning whether or not to permit indoor smoking.
Getz testified that previously, VFWs that opted to go smoke-free noticed steep membership declines. However in more moderen years, and within the pandemic’s aftermath, nearly all of VFW chapters have gone smoke-free. Getz mentioned the group helps Frankel’s invoice in hopes that it will resolve the remaining chapter infighting about smoking.
The Home Well being Committee didn’t vote on the smoking invoice. Frankel mentioned it’s the Well being Committee’s accountability to “defend the well being of Pennsylvanians.” The committee subsequent meets on September 27.
