Gaming News

Smoking ban hurts Colorado casinos

COLORADO -- As reported by the Denver Post: "Even with an extra day of business because of leap year, Colorado's mountain casinos posted a 10 percent drop in revenue last month — perhaps the strongest sign yet of the smoking ban's impact on the industry.

"The state's casinos posted revenue of $57.9 million in February, down from $64.4 million a year earlier, according to data released today by the Colorado Division of Gaming.

"...The statewide smoking ban was extended to casinos in January. The industry posted a revenue drop of only 3.6 percent during the first month of the ban.

"...Last month's drop of 10 percent was the single-largest monthly drop for the industry since March 2003, when revenue fell slightly more than 10 percent."

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