Yes, you can smoke in most Biloxi casinos. Mississippi has no statewide ban on indoor smoking in privately owned businesses, and Biloxi has no local ordinance covering casino floors, so each property writes its own rules. The majority of Biloxi casinos allow smoking in designated areas of the gaming floor, while two properties, Palace Casino Resort and Margaritaville Resort Biloxi, are completely smoke-free.
Why Each Casino Sets Its Own Rule
The Mississippi Clean Indoor Air Act reaches only state-owned public buildings and similar government spaces. It does not apply to casinos, bars, or restaurants. That leaves the smoking question entirely to the operator of each property.
Lawmakers have tried to change that. House Bill 361 in the 2025 session proposed a Mississippi Smoke-Free Air Act that would have banned smoking in all enclosed public places and workplaces, including commercial casinos.1Mississippi Legislature. Mississippi House Bill 361 – Mississippi Smoke-Free Air Act of 2025 It never left committee. A nearly identical House Bill 253 was introduced for the 2026 session and, as of early 2026, remains in the introduction stage with no vote scheduled.2Mississippi Legislature. Mississippi House Bill 253 – Mississippi Smoke-Free Air Act of 2026 Until one of these bills passes, the current property-by-property system stays in place.
Biloxi Casinos That Allow Smoking
Policies vary sharply, sometimes between properties on the same stretch of beach highway. Here is what the major Biloxi casinos publish about their gaming floors.
- Beau Rivage Resort and Casino: Smoking is allowed in designated areas throughout the casino and bars. Any resort employee can point you to a smoking zone. E-cigarettes, vapes, and hookahs are treated as smoking and are only permitted in those same designated areas.3Beau Rivage Resort & Casino. Frequently Asked Questions
- Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Biloxi: Smoking is permitted in designated casino areas. Hotel guests can only smoke in specifically assigned rooms, and a $200 non-refundable cleaning fee applies if you smoke in a non-smoking room.4Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Biloxi. FAQ – Hotel Policies
- Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort: Smoking is permitted on the casino floor. The property enforces cleaning fees for guests who smoke in non-smoking hotel rooms.5Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort. Property Policies at Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort
- Boomtown Casino Biloxi: The main gaming floor allows smoking, but a dedicated smoke-free slot area is available on the second floor.6Boomtown Casino Biloxi. What’s New – Boomtown Casino Biloxi
Golden Nugget, Harrah’s Gulf Coast, and Treasure Bay do not prominently publish their smoking policies online. Most Gulf Coast properties permit smoking in at least some areas, but call ahead to confirm before your visit.
Fully Smoke-Free Biloxi Casinos
Two properties have gone all the way.
Palace Casino Resort banned all indoor smoking in June 2011 and remains the only fully smoke-free casino on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Smoking is still allowed outdoors, on the balcony outside the lounge, and inside a dedicated second-floor smoking lounge. The gaming floor, hotel, and restaurants are entirely smoke-free.7Palace Casino Resort. Palace Casino Reaches 5 Years of Smoke Free Casino
Margaritaville Resort Biloxi has been smoke-free since 2016 and enforces one of the strictest policies on the coast. The ban covers cigarettes, cigars, marijuana, e-cigarettes, vape pens, hookahs, incense, and strongly scented essential oils. Smoking is not allowed indoors or on balconies. Violations trigger a minimum $250 cleaning fee plus tax.8Margaritaville Resort Biloxi. Smoking Guidelines
Vaping Is Not Always Treated Like Smoking
Do not assume that a casino allowing cigarettes also allows vaping. Beau Rivage permits cigarette smoking in designated zones but groups e-cigarettes and vapes under its non-smoking restrictions, so vaping is only allowed in the designated smoking areas.3Beau Rivage Resort & Casino. Frequently Asked Questions Margaritaville bans vaping outright alongside all other smoking.8Margaritaville Resort Biloxi. Smoking Guidelines There is no uniform rule across Biloxi properties, so ask at the front desk before pulling out a vape pen on the floor.
If You Want to Avoid Smoke
You have real options. Palace and Margaritaville let you play slots, eat, and stay overnight without encountering cigarette smoke. Boomtown’s second-floor smoke-free slot area offers a middle ground inside a property that otherwise allows smoking.6Boomtown Casino Biloxi. What’s New – Boomtown Casino Biloxi
At casinos that allow smoking on the gaming floor, non-smoking sections are usually separated by distance rather than walls, and some drift is inevitable. Hotel rooms at virtually every Biloxi casino are non-smoking, even at properties where the gaming floor allows it, and restaurants inside the resorts are typically smoke-free.
What It Costs to Smoke Where You Shouldn’t
Biloxi casinos enforce their non-smoking zones through your wallet. Margaritaville charges a minimum of $250 plus tax for any violation.8Margaritaville Resort Biloxi. Smoking Guidelines Hard Rock charges a flat $200 for smoking in a non-smoking hotel room.4Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Biloxi. FAQ – Hotel Policies Beau Rivage says cleaning fees apply for smoking in restricted areas but does not publish a dollar amount.3Beau Rivage Resort & Casino. Frequently Asked Questions These fees are typically non-refundable and posted directly to the card on file.