But the county Health Department doesn't buy the argument and says, "show me the numbers".

Grand Central Casino in Lakewood says too many tables are empty; too many dealers have nothing to do. They blame Pierce County's 2-week-old smoking ban, and they're already talking layoffs.

"I have never, never had to fight this hard to keep a job and an industry alive," says Bob Sulkosky, the director of catering for Grand Central Casino in Lakewood.

Employees from several Pierce County casinos are scared. "With the economy the way it is nowadays," says Kathy Compher also of Grand Central, "I can't afford to lose my job because there's not another one out there."

And casino workers say they know exactly where their customers are going: They're heading five minutes away to tribal casinos, which don't have to obey the county smoking ban.

"How am I expected to keep my job," asks Dawn Forsman, a dealer at Freddie's, "when my employer cannot compete?"

As sovereign nations, tribal casinos aren't subject to local law. So they can offer more tables, more games, higher betting limits. And now they offer the only Pierce County casinos that allow smokers to smoke.

"It's one more kick against us," says Sulkosky.

"It's just not true," says Pierce County Health Director Federico Cruz.

Cruz says the numbers don't add up. When KOMO 4 News asked if casinos were making less money since the ban, workers didn't have that information. But Cruz says other states have actually seen an increase in business following smoking bans.

"Everywhere they've done smoking bans across the United States it did not harm business," he said.

Cruz says if casinos are laying people off, it's because of a trend that has nothing to do with smoking. But for workers with families to feed, whether it's tribal casinos or a smoking ban, any hit on their industry is a hit on them.