Illinois casinos say smoking ban will be costly

The Illinois legislature heard arguments by the Illinois Casino Gaming Commission that a statewide smoking ban will cost casinos about $144 million a year, or about 20 percent of their annual take.

The association spoke before the legislature in an attempt to get an exemption from the ban into a casino expansion plan that the state Senate may consider this week.

Supporters of the smoking ban say letting casinos off the hook could set a bad precedent.

But Tom Swoik, executive director of the Illinois Casino Gaming Association, said if he loses this week's fight, he'll lobby lawmakers to repeal the smoking ban for five years for casinos or until gaming facilities in borders states also snuff out smoking.

Swoik will probably have a long wait since the likelihood of Indiana enforcing a smoking ban in its casinos is slim to none, according to Ed Feigenbaum, editor of Indianapolis-based Gaming INSight.