Smoking returns to Pennsylvania casinos after 1-year ban PennLive.com 8 hrs ago Daniel Urie, pennlive.com Patrons at Pennsylvania casinos are once again permitted to smoke in designated areas on the gaming floor. Popular Searches In Pennsylvania, most indoor smoking is prohibited at commercial establishments across the state due to legislation passed in 2008. But, one large exception to that rule where smoking is permitted is casinos, where facilities can designate smoking areas of up to 50 percent of the gaming floor. Casinos in Pennsylvania began reopening from the state’s COVID-19 related shutdown on June 9, 2020 at which time the smoking ban was put in place by direction of the Gaming Control Board following Gov. Tom Wolf’s office mask mandate, according to Doug Harbach, communications director for the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.