It's ka-ching for gamblers who like to smoke while playing slot machines.

 

The state's seven casinos are soon expected to get the state's go-ahead to enlarge the amount of their floor space occupied by slot machines played by smokers.

 

When the state's new law banning smoking in most public places took effect Sept. 11, it permitted only 25 percent of a casino's floor space for machines where people smoke.

 

But it allowed a 90-day period, until Dec. 10, for casinos to submit revenues figures for the machines played by smokers vs. those used by nonsmokers. While detailed figures for the seven casinos haven't been released by the Gaming Control Board yet, they are expected to show a much higher play-per-machine for the smoking area than for the nonsmoking area.

 

"Our machines played by people who smoke did twice as much business as the nonsmoking slots,'' said David LaTorre, spokesman for The Meadows. "We filed papers with the Gaming Control Board today seeking to increase our smoking area to the maximum allowed by law," which is 50 percent of the total floor area.

 

The temporary casino now in operation at The Meadows has about 1,800 slots, but the permanent casino to open next spring will have up to 4,000 machines, he said.

 

"We want to provide the proper atmosphere, regardless of whether someone smokes or not," he added.

 

He said the enlarged smoking area will be accomplished "rather quickly once the state says OK."

 

Presque Isle Downs casino in Erie also expects to enlarge its area for slots played by smokers, a spokeswoman said. Philadelphia Park north of Philadelphia said on Monday it also planned to double the size of its smoking area, to 50 percent of the floor area.

 

Casinos are required to have powerful air-cleaning systems that remove the smoke and totally replace the interior air within a fairly short length of time.