A national non-smoking group and a Michigan health system have placed shareholder proposals on the agenda of annual meetings for two major gambling companies and are likely to add a thirdAdd investors to the list of people that opponents of smoking in casinos are enlisting in hopes of banning the practice.
And while it remains to be seen whether the proposals will be approved by investors, the move represents yet another aspect of an effort by casino smoking foes to leave no stone unturned in their drive to end smoking in gambling halls. In New Jersey, that has included pushing lawmakers to legislate a ban, and filing a lawsuit in state court to overturn an indoor smoking law that exempts casinos.
Historically, shareholder proposals face long odds of being approved and implemented. A study last month by the Conference Board found that 913 shareholder proposals were filed in 2023, and 71% were voted on, receiving an average support of 23%.