- A three-person panel of Iowa lawmakers shot down the casino smoking ban Monday, with just one vote in favor of matching the 2008 clean air rules.
- Industry reps predicted financial trouble, but two dozen states running smoke-free gaming floors tell a different story about revenue.
- Health groups cited Iowa's second-highest cancer rate and mandatory secondhand smoke exposure for casino employees.
DES MOINES, Iowa – State senators in Iowa shut down a smoking ban for casinos on Monday, guaranteeing that both gamblers and employees will continue dealing with secondhand smoke regardless of what health studies show.
The three-person committee only saw one supporter for the measure, that being Senator Dennis Guth himself, while Senate File 2051 required at least two favorable votes to move ahead. Had it passed, Iowa casinos would finally fall under the same tobacco restrictions that every bar and restaurant in the state has followed since way back in 2008.
Prairie Meadows Casino board member Tony Bisignano, a Democrat, joined Republican Dawn Driscoll in blocking the measure. Bisignano said he wants smoking gone from casinos eventually but thinks moving forward now puts Iowa gambling halls at a disadvantage against tribal operations that write their own rules.
Lawmakers were warned by casino lobbyists that if the prohibition was approved, gamblers would take their money beyond state lines or to tribal casinos that would still allow individuals to smoke up. Penn Entertainment's Jake Highfill told the committee that no one is forced through casino doors, but supporters retorted that servers and dealers who are forced to work those floors inhale smoke whether they like it or not.
The Numbers Don't Support Industry Fears
According to research by the casino consulting firm C3 Gaming, gambling establishments that maintained their no-smoking policies following COVID-19 closures did not experience the expected revenue losses. Currently, smoke-free gaming establishments are required by law in 21 states across the US, including Iowa's bordering states of Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois.
The overall gaming revenue for Iowa's 19 state-licensed casinos was $1.67 billion in the 2025 fiscal year, a 2.6% decrease from the previous year. Many of the best legal casinos across state boundaries already forbid smoking in their gaming areas, which will be of interest to bettors.
Given that Iowa has the second-highest cancer rate in the country, health organizations like the American Cancer Society and American Lung Association backed the legislation. Since smoking and secondhand smoke exposure account for approximately 90% of lung cancer fatalities, the CDC advises all casinos to be completely smoke-free.
The failure of this bill will keep Iowa's legal casinos' smoking exemption in place for at least another year, forcing employees to continue managing health concerns while the sector sticks to outdated business practices.