GULFPORT, Mississippi – Casinos are buying-in to a wave of smoke-free initiatives ahead of an expansion into sports betting in Mississippi.

Most recently, Island View Casino Resort opened an entirely non-smoking gaming area. The 43,000-square-foot casino welcomed gamblers Thursday. The new casino is part of the facility’s overall 126,000-square-feet of gaming space.

“Guests will enjoy the same games and promotions on the beach side as they have come to expect on the north side of the property. This is the first and only casino on the Mississippi Gulf Coast to actually be built as smoke-free,” Lindsey Inman, CEO of the Island View Casino Resort, said.

The new casino features bars, restaurants and entertainment venues.

In addition, Island View said it is preparing for new sports betting, which the Mississippi Gaming Commission approved Thursday. It allowed for sports gambling in 30 days – just in time for football season.

Louisiana lawmakers voted against such a move earlier this year.

Casinos in Baton Rouge have also made changes for non-smokers and smokers as local laws banned smoking in bars and casinos earlier this summer.

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