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Sharon Harris asks what can be learned from recent events in Las Vegas


Sharon Harris looks at the tangled web surrounding smoking in casinos in light of COVID


MI


Wynn called Las Vegas a “target rich” environment in November 2015 and recruited top law enforcement and military


consultants to formulate a security plan


y grandmothers Minnie and Sara met through my parents after World War II. They had opposite personalities, but were best friends and spent decades together for all occasions. Minnie was


soft-spoken and Sara was tough and direct. I loved them both. Their generation played cards almost every night.


t was unimaginable that on the very week our global gaming industry converged on Las Vegas for G2E, the unthinkable could happen. As many had already arrived, or were arriving, a madman shattered the Las Vegas allure on October 1.


Ironically, my parents never liked cards, but millions played cards as a lifestyle. Watch old movies from the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. Card games were a staple after-dinner activity. Without television, what could average people do besides see a movie? My grandmothers’ card game was sacred. Whenever my


While 22,000 were enjoying an outdoor concert


at the chic Mandalay Bay, shots peppered the crowd from the 32nd floor. Within minutes, dozens lay dead and hundreds were wounded, some with lifetime injuries.


parents traveled without us, each set of grandparents would alternate babysitting my sister Linda and me at our house. No one considered canceling or postponing the game, no matter the distance. The “girls” agreed, just like in show business, the game must go on. In that generation, no matter who played, there was one common element. Most, if not all, smoked, including my two grandmothers. The cloud of smoke in our kitchen was everywhere and it was almost impossible to see. How things have changed. Smoking, or the banning of smoking, is again a hot issue facing casinos across the US today. Last year’s Covid pandemic and casino closures


Ironically, my


Casino International article in September‘s G2E issue specifically focused on casino crimes. Ex-FBI agent Tom Raftery, one quoted source, warned that many within the gaming industry have not adequately addressed possible onsite terrorism.


Tragically, the


Mandalay Bay learned otherwise and has now hired a


8 OCTOBER 2017 Rawpixel.com/Adobe Stock 8 AUGUST 2021 With tens of thousands of G2E attendees in town, a


large group probably stayed at the Mandalay Bay. How does one react or prepare for this type of nightmare?


Over time, we have learned this mass shooter, who


killed himself rather than be caught, methodically planned every detail of the carnage. A rich, heavy gambler, he did not fit any “standard“ profile.


ateside


created a perfect backdrop to prohibit smoking inside a casino property after reopening. Everyone knew Covid and smoking affected breathing, which made this double whammy a solid argument. After reopening, some states permitted smoking or


New York crisis management public relations firm. The lawsuits against them are just beginning to determine possible negligence by security personnel.


allowed their bans to expire in designated gaming and property areas. This set off a firestorm of protest. Enter the Americans for Nonsmokers Rights, a group that now incorporates the pandemic into their mission. The federal Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) Office on Smoking and Health has subtly promoted their cause. One official publicly agreed, saying, “The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in an increase in smoke-free casino adoption…certainly a silver lining in the context of the pandemic.” Historically, whenever a casino allowed limited or no smoking it faced initial revenue declines. However, that was typically short-lived as people grew accustomed to public non-smoking governmental regulations. The same has happened this year – minus the steep


It is long overdue for casinos to incorporate


terrorism preparedness into employee training. This killer brought guns into his hotel suite and installed cameras that monitored his room and the hallway. He then used heavy-duty hammers to smash the windows and take aim. Not that guests’ luggage or drawers be searched, but dozens of weapons take up a lot of space.


Many question the relative ease in getting such an


short-term declines. Whether from pent-up demand to play or personal fear of respiratory ailments, revenues have skyrocketed in most states. Few want to see anyone light up. Politics become part of the story since some jurisdictions, like New Jersey, face dilemmas. When the state enacted a smoking ban last year, no one knew the depth and longevity of the pandemic. The prohibitions expired during this year’s popular July


arsenal to his suite. Conditions will certainly change since the bar altering our very behavior keeps shifting. So far, gaming has pretty much escaped these events, which is amazing considering these 24- hour businesses have dozens of open doors and entry points that never close.


4th weekend last month. Casino unions publicly protested allowing smoking anywhere back on the gaming floor. Governor Phil Murphy says he wants to reinstate the ban, but who knows. He’s up for reelection in November. Politicians and business owners often follow the political winds. Unfortunately, I learned firsthand that controversial issues and soundbites allow ambitious politicians to make news. In the 1980s, my family’s vending company sold


cigarettes in machines. We were highly regulated with state tax stamps and responsibly placed equipment in age-appropriate locations.


our Pennsylvania trade group and the national Tobacco Institute lobbyists worked to publicize the industry’s compliance with all laws. The Philadelphia-area industry made me their spokesperson at governmental hearings.


When the anti-smoking campaigns began in earnest, Image: Fannyes/Adobe Stock


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