Casino News

Iowa casino gets boost from Illinois smoking ban

2008-12-01 16:48:21

A casino in Iowa is benefitting from the state-wide smoking ban in Illinois, it has been reported.

The Wild Rose Casino and Resort in Clinton received approximately 320,000 visitors during its first four months of operation, about 66 per cent of which came from nearby Illinois, according to the Des Moines Register.

Revenue rose at the venue by 63 percent to $15.7 million between July and October, bucking a gaming industry trend that has seen takings fall across the US.

By comparison, the rest of Iowa combined saw less than a two percent increase in revenue.

A smoking ban was recently introduced to casinos in Illinois, but gaming resorts in Iowa are currently exempt.

Wild Rose general manager Tim Bollman claimed this gave his casino, which is across the Mississippi River from Illinois, a "competitive advantage".

During the fall, concerns over what effect a smoking ban could have on Atlantic City's gaming industry saw anti-smoking legislation that was brought in earlier in 2008 put on hold until next year.