Health Groups Protest Smoking Exemption of Crown Limited Casino

Crown Limited’s plan of building a casino that will allow smoking in its gaming floors is under heavy protest. The said building, which eyed in Sydney, has many health groups against it, saying that the idea would be “extremely concerning”.

The new hotel is said to occupy a vast 20,000 square meter gaming area, where gamers and high rollers can smoke as they please.

The NSW Cancer Council has expressed its disappointment over the government, which has agreed to this proposal. While Quit Victoria, via its executive director Fiona Sharkie said, “It’s such a backward step considering that we’ve had smokefree workplaces in this country across different states for probably two decades. We don’t think there should be exemptions for high-roller rooms – they’re still exposing workers to enormous harms.”

Crown Limited, through its owner James Packer, wrote a letter to the NSW Government stating that the casino chain be permitted smoking in the gaming areas, saying that this proposal is “absolutely critical.” He wrote, “In order to effectively compete with Macau, Singapore and the rest of Asia, Crown Sydney will need to permit smoking in VIP gaming areas.”

He also said that the casino will install advanced technology that will provide proper ventilation and maintain the quality of the air in the areas concerned.

Health groups, however, do not believe that there exist a “safe level to exposure to second-hand smoke.”

Crown Limited’s rival chain, The Star, has long been exempt from the anti-smoking law, but only in so far as their high roller rooms are concerned.