Anyone from Wisconsin?

[daughtersrus]

Do you know if the "Smoke-Free" law that will go into place this summer will apply to casinos? My guess is that it probably won't since they are owned and operated by Native American Tribes, but one can always hope.

 

[Luv2Scrap]

I just had a conversation with a classmate who recently worked in a Minnesota casino, and the smoke-free laws didn't apply to the casinos, at least not locally. One could guess that Wisconsin will probably be the same, but I guess I can't say that for sure.

 

[AshleyW]

The law in Iowa says that you can only smoke on the gaming floor of the casino. Everywhere else indoors (and even a lot of outdoor areas) is smoke free.

ETA: I looked up the Wisconsin law and it's apparently not as strict as Iowa's law. Here's what I found: "Even under the statewide ban, there are some places where smoking would still be allowed. Tribal casinos and existing cigar bars and specialty tobacco shops will not be subject to the ban. However, hotels could no longer offer rooms for smoking."

 

[FireDancer]

It is the Indian part of the equation that will probably make them exempt. I looked quickly at some discussions about the Wisconsin law and while it looks like a non-tribal casino would be smoke free there are a lot of treaties in place that give tribal owned establishments a certain level of autonomy.

It may also depend on if the casino is merely Indian owned or on Tribal land.

 

[daughtersrus]

The law in Iowa says that you can only smoke on the gaming floor of the casino. Everywhere else indoors (and even a lot of outdoor areas) is smoke free.

ETA: I looked up the Wisconsin law and it's apparently not as strict as Iowa's law. Here's what I found: "Even under the statewide ban, there are some places where smoking would still be allowed. Tribal casinos and existing cigar bars and specialty tobacco shops will not be subject to the ban. However, hotels could no longer offer rooms for smoking."

Thanks for the info. I tried to look up the law but I couldn't find anything that addressed casinos.

Here in IL, we've been smoke free for over 2 years now and it's so nice. I can sit a my favorite slot machine and not have to worry about the person next to me lighting up. I figured that even if the law passed in WI, the casinos would be exempt since the government really doesn't have any control over the buildings/businesses on reservation land.

 

[SaraJayne]

Casinos are exempted, but two Oneida casino have elected to go smoke free (though I don't know which two).

 

[X and G's mom]

My DBF is a manager at a casino in northern WI. They do not have to abide by the smoking ban because they are a sovereign community, AND if the casino is on Tribal land. There are a few casinos in WI that are not on the reservation. As a PP stated that some of the casinos will adopt the smoking ban, but that is totally up to the tribes gaming commission and their tribal council.

I just talked to my DBF and he said that the Chippewa bands will still allow smoking. My DBF is an enrolled tribal member (Ojibwa - the true name of Chippewa) and very active in his community.

ETA: My DBF would LOVE to see it smoke-free
(Tobacco is HUGE in the Native American culture)

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

im pretty sure the onidia casino in green bay is smoke free. I know the menominee reservations casino has "Smoke free areas".