Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast in Bay St. Louis to Become Haven for Cigar Smokers
- 05 Jun 2025
- Gambling News
Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, will soon unveil a lounge designed specifically for cigar lovers.
Hollywood permits indoor tobacco smoking in specific zones of the casino floor. The upcoming amenity at the property, the Gurkha Cigar Lounge, will offer additional indoor space for cigar enthusiasts to enjoy their cigars before or after utilizing the riverboat’s 800 slot machines and 28 live-dealer gaming tables.
Adjacent to Bogart’s Steakhouse, the resort's upscale dining venue, Gurkha will provide a carefully chosen assortment of premium cigars, featuring the celebrated Gurkha. High-quality lighters, cutters, and ashtrays are some of the features that offer visitors an exceptional smoking experience.
The lounge idea, a collaboration involving Southern Smoke Cigar Company and Gurkha Cigars along with Penn Entertainment, which oversees Hollywood Gulf Coast, will also feature a walk-in humidor, high-end spirits, beer, and wine.
Visuals for the area showcase luxurious leather seats, gentle illumination, and an elegant interior design. Named after Gurkha Cigars, often called the “Rolls-Royce of cigars,” the lounge is set to open at 5 pm local time on June 19.
Gurkha Cigar Lounge will operate from 2 pm to 9 pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, and from 12 pm to 12 am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Cigar Czar Partners With Casino Company
The Gurkha cigar label was reintroduced in the late 1980s by Kaizad Hansotia, who is now regarded as the “Czar of Premium Cigars.” The name Gurkha originates from the British army, where Nepalese Gurkha soldiers were greatly esteemed.
Currently, Gurkha Cigars comprises over 100 cigar brands, featuring the ultra-premium lines HMR, Royal Reserve, Dragonfly, and Maharaja.
Gurkha Cigar Lounge at Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast represents the second Gurkha-themed smoking lounge by Southern Smoke Cigar Co. established within a Penn-operated casino. In April, the initial Gurkha Cigar Lounge opened its doors at Penn Entertainment’s L’Auberge Casino Resort in Lake Charles.
Southern Smoke Cigar Co. operates cigar lounges in Louisiana, with its main store and lounge situated in Shreveport. The company runs Club Macanudo within Margaritaville Resort Casino in Bossier City, which is another Louisiana casino managed by Penn Entertainment.
Laws Regarding Smoking in Louisiana
Louisiana's indoor smoking regulations forbid tobacco use within most public places. Gaming areas are not subject to the ban, nor are "retail tobacco stores."
Moreover, the business establishments of “any manufacturer, importer, wholesaler, or distributor of tobacco products, any dealer or processor of tobacco leaf, and all facilities for tobacco storage” have the privilege to permit indoor smoking on their premises.
The American Lung Association (ALA) states that Louisiana's adult smoking rate, nearing 16%, is above the national average of 14%. The organization dedicated to enhancing lung health and disease prevention via education, advocacy, and research gives Louisiana an “F” for tobacco control and a “C” for smoke-free environments.
The Bayou State was also assigned “F” grades for “tobacco taxes” and “flavored tobacco products.” Access to cessation services was rated a “C.”
“Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death in Louisiana,” the ALA said. “To address this enormous toll, the American Lung Association calls for the following actions to be taken by Louisiana’s elected officials: increase taxes on all tobacco and nicotine products, strengthen the existing statewide smoke-free law to include bar and casino worker protections, and sustain tobacco prevention and quit tobacco funding.”
