Smoking lounges are ‘a good solution,’ says Ambrose So

The CEO of casino operator SJM, Ambrose So, has stressed that smoking lounges are a good solution not only in casinos but other properties as well.
“I think this will be a good solution to balance people’s right to choose [to or not to smoke],” he told reporters on the sidelines of a Macau European Chamber of Commerce gala dinner on Friday.
Mr So added that installing smoking lounges does not go against the principle of a full smoking ban, as “those who smoke need to have a chance to do so, but when they smoke they should not disturb others.”
If a full smoking ban is implemented, Mr So acknowledged that gaming revenue would suffer. “The gaming revenue has suffered due to a complex of different elements, and the smoking, of course, is part of it.  I cannot predict as to how much it will be affected by the smoking ban. But I am sure that there will be a certain effect on the gaming revenue,” he stated.
Furthermore, Mr So added that for visitors, gaming is a form of entertainment, and so is smoking. If one part is taken away, “they will enjoy the casino less. That’s what I feel.”