Two new casinos in Ohio say they won’t hire smokers

CINCINNATI -- Smokers won't be hired at new casinos in Columbus and Toledo, a ban that's been adopted in other industries as employers try to hold down health care costs.

Job applicants for 3,200 positions at the two casinos being developed by Penn National Gaming Inc. will not be considered if they smoke, chew tobacco or use nicotine patches, according to the company.

Applicants will be screened, and any testing positive for nicotine will be disqualified. Random nicotine testing will be done on workers after they are employed, but the policy on that phase is still being developed, Bob Tenenbaum, Penn National's Ohio spokesman, told The Associated Press.

Ohio state law prohibits any smoking in public places, including casinos, but Penn National's policy will mean its Ohio casino workers will not be allowed to use tobacco on or off the job.

The change comes in an industry that has many smokers among its customers, and Ohio casinos will be the only two of Penn's 21 properties that ban tobacco use among employees, Ameet Patel, general manager of Penn National's Hollywood Casino Columbus, told The Dayton Daily News, which first reported the policy.

Tenenbaum said he was not certain whether any other of the company's facilities might consider such a policy.

"Since the casinos are going to be smoke-free anyway, this made sense as something to do in Ohio," he said.

Given the state smoking ban and the company's increasing focus on employee health, this was seen as an opportunity to help employees improve their health, help the company lower its health care costs, "and increase productivity," Tenenbaum said.

American Gaming Association spokeswoman Holly Wetzel said that she did not know whether any other casinos have a ban on hiring smokers or are considering such a policy.