"I think the laws are designed to protect the workers and the patrons who do not smoke, not the smokers themselves, so I don't see it being people protected from themselves at all."

Michael,

If that were the case, why do away with segregated smoking and non-smoking areas?

As to poker rooms being smoke free, up until now a smoker didn't have to leave the building to smoke, just leave the room.

Enclosed smoking lounges? That wasn't good enough at McCarran...

I'd suggest the government make the purchase and usage of tobacco products completely illegal. At least then, they'd be consistent in their concerns and actions taken against smokers and smoking. Of course, that isn't going to happen, because the taxes collected on tobacco are a higher percentage of the purchase price than any other commodity that I'm aware of, and the government isn't about to give up their addiction to that cash cow.