That's not exactly true. I have several friends that after 13 years of working at two different California card clubs were laid off because of declining business. I saw an immediate decline myself immediately after the passage, as I worked at Commerce, one of the larger clubs.
Also, there is a constant "problem' with smokers leaving the games short-handed and games sometimes breaking. Applying the same logic to casinos, many slot or VP players who are smokers will take repeated breaks in order to go outside and smoke. This has to have a lower play aspect. Not to mention, okay I will mention it <G>, the casino's goal is to keep you at the machine. They know that if you cash out and go outside, you may well walk away either deciding to book a win, if that is your situation, or cut a loss short.
I think arguing it either way might be a mute point.
One final note. Indian casinos, which have poker rooms as well as casinos, are blossoming in California and doing better than ever. They all offer smoking and are the only ones allowed to because of the State law not being able to enforce their mandate on Federal jurisdiction property.
ADR
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At 12:01 PM 1/13/03, you wrote:
A better example is the California card clubs and bars. They put up a
big fight when California banned smoking in the work place, but it
turned out that people are going to gamble and drink whether they can
smoke or not. The card clubs are now busier than before the ban.