Casino Worker Releases Video Ahead of Vote Calling on Boyd to Assess Economic Impacts of Indoor Smokefree Casino Policies

Berkeley, CA — On Thursday, May 8, Boyd Gaming shareholders will vote on a proposal at the company’s Annual Meeting of Stockholders to assess the financial impacts of adopting smokefree policies in Boyd-owned casinos. Ahead of the meeting, casino workers released a video highlighting the potential economic benefits of eliminating smoking in Boyd properties and calling on the company to commit to studying these effects.

“We already know that smoking in a casino hurts the employees’ health and wellness, both physically and mentally, but what casinos aren’t considering is that the success of their business depends on the happiness of their workers,” said Jen Rubolino, table games dealer and member of Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE) Pennsylvania, in the video. “If casinos would go smokefree, they would have less absenteeism, and they would hold onto their employees for longer, saving money on recruiting and training costs, and it would attract more workers to want to work in a smokefree environment. They would save on healthcare costs, cleaning, and maintenance costs. They would have fewer customer complaints and greater customer satisfaction. It would be a win-win for everybody — and it’s the right thing to do. And I ask, from the bottom of my heart and lungs, will Boyd Gaming study the potential benefits of transitioning to a smokefree indoor air policy?”

Last week, shareholders of Wynn Resorts voted on a similar proposal asking the company to commission a study on the economic benefits of indoor smokefree policies. Wynn shareholders delivered a strong showing in support of the study, with more than 8.6% (5.76 million) of votes cast in favor of the measure — clearing the 5% threshold required to resubmit the proposal for consideration in 2026. In the coming months, shareholders of Penn Entertainment and Caesars Entertainment will follow Wynn and Boyd in voting on similar proposals.

“Smokefree policies are not only critical for workers’ health — they’re also good business decisions,” said Cynthia Hallett, president and CEO of American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation (ANRF). “The cost of studying the financial impacts of smokefree policies would be negligible in comparison to the billions casinos could save in areas like maintenance, healthcare, and reduced turnover. Beyond that, smokefree policies have been proven to attract new clientele and improve customer loyalty. Boyd Gaming has nothing to lose and everything to gain by conducting this study. By not providing a full analysis of these impacts, casinos are withholding critical information from shareholders about how they might improve their financial situation. Shareholders deserve the transparency and the opportunity to make an informed decision.”

In the joint resolutions submitted to Wynn, Penn, Boyd, and Caesars, co-filers American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation, Trinity Health, and School Sisters of Notre Dame Collective Investment Fund, wrote, “There are potential business risks to allowing indoor smoking in Boyd Gaming properties: higher employee health insurance premiums (when compared with casinos that don’t permit indoor smoking); greater maintenance costs; loss of a significant number of potential visitors who won’t visit a casino due exposure to secondhand smoke. A recent Gallup survey found the rate of adult cigarette smoking to be 11%, the lowest in 80 years. Shareholders have no guidance as to the costs our Company is bearing for continuing to allow indoor smoking. The Company has not disclosed the social and environmental costs and risks imposed on its stakeholders.”

Boyd Gaming employs over 15,000 workers across 28 gaming properties in 10 states, two of which are already smokefree — demonstrating that smokefree policies do not hinder the company’s financial success.

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About ANRF

American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation (ANRF) is a 501c3 non-profit educational and advocacy group that has been working for nearly 50 years to protect everyone’s right to breathe nontoxic air in workplaces and public places, from offices and airplanes to restaurants, bars, and casinos. ANRF has continuously shined a light on the tobacco industry’s interference with sound and life-saving public health measures and successfully protected 61% of the population with local or statewide smokefree workplace, restaurant, and bar laws. ANRF aims to close gaps in smokefree protections for workers in all workplaces, including bars, music venues, casinos, and hotels. For more information, please visit https://no-smoke.org/. ANRF projects include https://smokefreecasinos.org/ and https://smokefreemusiccities.org/.