Venetian and Palazzo Casinos to Allow Smoking at Gaming Tables

Article by : Erik Gibbs Nov 6, 2023

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In a move that may not sit well with many Venetian and Palazzo casino dealers, starting next Monday, November 6, the casinos will permit table game players to smoke.

The Venetian Resort released a statement stating that guests at table games will have the option to smoke cigarettes, cigars and vapes, while the use of marijuana remains prohibited, consistent with Las Vegas casino regulations.

The Venetian Resort’s statement emphasized that they continuously assess and enhance their internal policies to remain competitive and strategic in their business decisions, with a focus on guest feedback.

The casino will accommodate table game players who prefer a non-smoking environment, with table game supervisors or floor managers facilitating such requests. Smoking is restricted to casino floors and prohibited elsewhere within The Venetian Resort, including suites and outdoor pool decks.

Owned by Vici Properties, the real estate investment trust controlled by Caesars Entertainment, The Venetian Resort is under the operation of the private equity giant Apollo Global Management, based in New York.

Last year, Las Vegas Sands sold these properties for a total of $6.25 billion, with Vici’s $4 billion purchase covering the real estate, while Apollo secured the operating rights and former Sands staff for $2.25 billion.

Situated at the heart of the Las Vegas Strip, The Venetian and Palazzo, like other major casinos on South Las Vegas Blvd., are gearing up for this month’s Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, scheduled for Sunday, November 19.

The race will feature a 3.8-mile circuit, including a 1.18-mile straightway on the Las Vegas Strip, where drivers are expected to reach speeds exceeding 200 mph.

F1 racing is gaining popularity in the US, as evidenced by the Las Vegas race, but the sport remains most popular in overseas regions such as the UK, Middle East and Europe, where smoking is more prevalent.

The Venetian’s decision to reintroduce smoking at table games is likely aimed at accommodating the hundreds of thousands of visitors expected in town for the F1 event this month.

Earlier this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concluded that the only way to ensure clean air within casinos is through a complete prohibition of indoor tobacco use.

In their investigation of air quality in designated smoke-free areas of casinos, the federal public health agency discovered elevated levels of hazardous Particulate Matter (PM).

The CDC’s findings revealed that even highly sophisticated air filtration systems “cannot eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke.”

While the air might smell more pleasant in a smoke-free section of a casino that offers both smoking and non-smoking areas, health experts emphasize that the so-called non-smoking sections still pose public health risks.

Prolonged exposure in such environments increases the risk of developing health issues related to secondhand smoke, including coronary heart disease, stroke and lung cancer.