Canadian casino gaming influencer Brian Christopher is unveiling the findings of what he claims to be the largest research study on smoke-free casinos ever conducted, and will be presenting the survey at G2E in Las Vegas on Wednesday, based on an exclusive interview with Casino.org.
Christopher, the CEO of BCSlots, is a prominent social media influencer in the global slots and casino industry.
Christopher to Lead G2E Panel Discussion
The research, carried out for Christopher and the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation (ANRF), indicated that a large majority (86%) of casino visitors favor playing at smoke-free casinos. The survey additionally showed that 86% of casino visitors are nonsmokers, with 87% of regular (several times a month) players and 89% of high-income players (those earning over $150K) identifying as nonsmokers.
During an interview with Casino.org at G2E, Christopher mentioned that he was surprised by certain aspects of the survey.
"I never would have thought the number of patrons with health conditions that stop them from going to smoking casinos would be as high as 34%,” he said. “Imagine the business [casinos] would get just by removing smoking. Also, that more higher-income people prefer smoke-free casinos than lower income. Casinos often argue their higher-limit players smoke, but our survey says the opposite.”
Christopher is set to lead a panel discussion on the subject at 2 p.m. Wednesday at The Venetian Convention Center. Cynthia Hallett, ANRF president and CEO, Tashina Williams, senior content marketing manager at Potawatomi Casino Hotel Milwaukee, and Bryan Hayes, senior vice president of gaming operations at Foxwoods Resort Casino, will also participate.
A Prominent Social Media Influencer in the Casino Industry
The topic of smoke-free casinos is very important to Christopher. His YouTube channel, Brian Christopher’s Slots, has a following across platforms like BCSlots.com, the BCSlots YouTube channel, FlipTheSwitch.com, BCSlots Cruises, and the Rudies Fan Club.
Their social media platforms attract eight million distinct viewers each month, boast 1.8 million subscribers, and recently achieved a new milestone in casino gaming with 1 billion video views.
In 2023, Brian Christopher Slots received the titles of Streamer of the Year and Slot Collaboration of the Year at the SBC's CasinoBeats Game Developer Awards.
"I’m just not sure why it’s not a passion for everyone,” he told Casino.org. “It was not a financial decision for us to only promote smoke-free properties – it was for my team’s health who were all getting congested and sick after trips. And yet, we have become more in demand and more profitable ever since.”
Christopher expressed his desire for every company to prioritize the well-being of their employees and customers above everything else, and to conduct surveys among their guests to clarify any misconceptions.
“Other countries have implemented smoke-free casinos, as have many states, and they’re all flourishing,” he said. “Bottom line, gamblers go to the casinos to gamble. Smokers aren’t going there to smoke, they can do that at home.”
Study of 2,136 Casino Visitors
A statement from Christopher on Monday highlighted that 91% of casino employees are nonsmokers, and 95% would rather work at a casino that ensures a smoke-free setting.
The online questionnaire was carried out from December 2023 to January 2024, gathering responses from 2,136 casino visitors.
Players who were surveyed indicated that a casino's smoke-free environment is a more significant factor (61%) compared to cleanliness (49%), travel distance (41%), and payout likelihood (31%). Ninety percent of those surveyed, including smokers, expressed that safe indoor air is crucial, with 97% of casino employees sharing that opinion.
“Let’s not peg revenue challenges on smoking policies, and focus on actually improving casino properties so that all people (including staff) can enjoy them better,” Christopher said in the statement.